A Sunday Business Post opinion poll that sharply contradicted one on Thursday by TV3 has sown confusion in political circles.

The new poll shows main opposition party Fine Gael well ahead with 31 percent, clear  of governing party Fianna Fail with 24 per cent and Labor with 23 percent.

The earlier poll showed Labor as the top party with 35 percent, a 12 percent difference to the Sunday Business Post poll, while the TV3 poll showed the other two parties pretty much at the same mark.

The Sunday Business Post poll will likely be considered the more reliable of the two as the Red C company has a long history of calling elections fairly close to right.

The poll in the Sunday Business Post is certainly very good news for beleaguered Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.

He had had already been the subject of more back bench criticism after the TV3 poll. Kenny narrowly survived a bid to end his leadership three months ago, so this new poll will inject a major dose of confidence in his leadership.