Support for independent candidates has surged in the latest opinion poll.

The Red C poll for the Sunday Business Post shows support for independents rising by five points to 23 per cent, while there’s a drop in support for Labour and Sinn Féín.

The poll taken between Monday and Wednesday of this week shows Fine Gael support at 28 per cent - unchanged since the last comparable poll four weeks ago.

But there is bad news for the junior coalition partner Labour, who slip three points to 7, losing the gains made over the last four months.

Sinn Féin also drops, losing three points to stand at 18. Meanwhile Fianna Fail gains one point to 20, its highest result in these polls for over a year.

The Greens are on 2, with Renua on 1 and others on 1 - but it’s the independent candidates who reap the gains in this poll.