Sinn Fein draw level atop opinion poll days from Irish election

FILE PHOTO: Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald in Brussels, Belgium April 1, 2019. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir/File Photo

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish nationalists Sinn Fein surged ahead of the governing Fine Gael party to draw level at the top of an opinion poll a week before an election that looks set to be a major breakthrough for the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army.

The Business Post/Red C poll put the left-wing Sinn Fein up five percentage points in the space of a week to 24% and level with the centre-right Fianna Fail, which fell two points. Support for Fine Gael dipped by the same amount to 21%.