Public satisfaction with the coalition government has dropped to 29 per cent, marking its lowest level in six years, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A opinion poll published on September 24. The poll shows a one-percentage-point decline in overall government satisfaction. Party leader ratings also shifted, with Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin seeing his approval rating slip by three points to 34 per cent, though he remains the most popular among the three main party leaders. Party support across the main political groupings experienced minor declines. Opposition party Sinn Féin leads party preferences at 23 per cent, down one point, followed by Fianna Fáil at 18 per cent (down one) and Fine Gael at 17 per cent (down one). Combined support for the three largest parties stands at 58 per cent, reflecting what analysts describe as ongoing fragmentation within the political landscape. Among smaller parties, the Social Democrats stand at 8 per cent (up one), Aontú at 5 per cent (up two), Labour and Independent Ireland at 4 per cent each, and the Green Party and People Before Profit-Solidarity both at 3 per cent. Independent candidates recorded 14 per cent support, while undecided voters accounted for 27 per cent. With Budget 2027 approaching, cost-of-living concerns dominate voter priorities ahead of the financial package. The survey found that 23 per cent of respondents consider supports to help with the cost of energy and home heating bills to be the primary objective. Supports for homebuyers ranked next, supported by more than a fifth of respondents, followed by increased public service spending at 17 per cent and tax reductions at 13 per cent. Only 3 per cent of voters indicated a preference for saving surplus public resources for future investment. In response to opposition questions in the Dáil following the publication of the poll, Finance Minister and Tánaiste Simon Harris stated that assistance would be provided for households facing rising energy expenses in the upcoming budget. The poll was conducted in person among 1,200 respondents across all constituencies on September 21 and 22.