Enda Kenny Soars In Popularity

The new Taoiseach is flying high in the approval ratings, much to the surprise of most observers.

This time last year, Enda Kenny was fighting off a leadership challenge from within his own party, surviving a contest with Richard Bruton.

But 12 months later, after 100 days as Taoiseach, he is getting the thumbs-up from 65% of voters - an incredible increase of 26 points since he came to power.

It's the highest approval rating enjoyed by any Taoiseach since the peak of Bertie Ahern's popularity before the 2002 general election.

And he is now the most popular party leader in Ireland by some distance.

There was good news in this week's Irish Independent/Millward Brown Lansdowne opinion poll for his party too.

Fine Gael's support has risen by six points since February's election and stands at 42% - which means the party would win an overall majority in the Dail if an election was held tomorrow.

Their coalition partners Labour have no cause to worry, however, as their poll ratings are also holding steady at 19%.

Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore's rating has also risen by 11% to 53%, his highest rating in a year.

The opinion poll reveals that voters are in no mood to forgive Fianna Fail yet, with only 16% of voters saying they would give them the number one if an election was held.

In Dublin the news is worse for Fianna Fail.

After the death of former finance minister Brian Lenihan, it has no sitting TD in the Irish capital, and ratings in the single figures.

While the government parties are enjoying a honeymoon period, the public is still not convinced that they are making a difference.

The poll revealed that most people do not thing it is making any progress on the main economic issues facing the country.

Meanwhile, the survey shows Senator David Norris is holding on to his position as frontrunner in the Presidential election, despite a month of controversy and the entry of several new candidates to the field.

Norris is on 21%, followed by Michael D Higgins, who was selected as the Labour Party candidate on the day before the poll was taken, who has 19% support.

Despite the party's huge poll ratings, none of the Fine Gael candidates are registering a high vote - although that may change in a few weeks' time when a definite nomination is selected.

For the moment, the ratings for FG candidates are Maread McGuinness on 10%, Pat Cox on 7%, Avril Doyle 3% and Gay Mitchell 2%.

The poll seems to show those who declared the interest in the job early, as gaining the lead in the early opinion polls.

None of the other people who have declared an interest in the job are making much of an impact with the public.

Dragons Den star and businessman Sean Gallagher has 6% support, Mary Davis 4% and New York publisher Niall O'Dowd 3%.

On the issue of the abolition of the Seanad, as proposed by Enda Kenny, a clear majority are in favor.

55% want to see the Upper House of parliament scrapped.

31% want to see it reformed, and only 7% are happy for it to continue in its current format.