Fianna Fáil has retained its status as the most popular party in the country, in two new opinion polls this evening.

Polls for both the Sunday Times and Sunday Business Post show its popularity rising in the last few weeks.

Neither of the two polls this evening give Fianna Fáil the same nine-point lead as the Irish Times poll last week.

However, both show a clear trend with Fianna Fáil support rising in recent weeks, while Fine Gael’s remains static or falls slightly.

The Behaviour and Attitudes poll for the Sunday Times, taken over 11 days before last Monday, shows Fianna Fáil on 30% – up five points in four weeks.

Fine Gael are on 25%, down 1%, in that poll.

In the Red C poll taken between Monday and Wednesday for the Sunday Business Post, Fianna Fáil are on 29%, up three points compared to the end of May, while Fine Gael remain unchanged on 26%.

Both polls also show a downward trend for Sinn Féin – down two points in one poll, three in another – and a continued slide in support for unaligned independents.