Mrs McAleese's current standing is daunting for anyone thinking of running against her, writes Mark Brennock, Chief Political Correspondent
Caveats first. Voters were asked to choose between two candidates who have not yet declared, let alone campaigned, for an election that might not even take place.
One of them is the incumbent President and is presidential. The other is a politician who might put himself forward as presidential during a campaign, but has had no opportunity to do so.
Even though she hasn't confirmed she will seek a second term as President, Mrs McAleese has effectively been in the field for six years, while Mr Michael D Higgins is not in it yet.
That said, this poll has produced an enormous boost for Mrs McAleese. It will lead some in Labour to question whether it is wise after all to contest the presidency in the autumn. It will confirm Fine Gael's Mr Enda Kenny in his determination to get out of the contest before it starts.
Labour has said it wants to see a presidential election and that it believes it will run a candidate. The party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, has spoken positively about the idea. It has not yet made a formal and final decision, but its parliamentary party and national executive have discussed it, want to contest the election, and already are looking no further than Mr Higgins as their standard bearer.
Fine Gael leader Mr Kenny has said he will recommend that his party support Mrs McAleese should she nominate herself - as is the right of a sitting President - and run as a non-party candidate. There is some doubt over whether an independent candidate will be nominated by the necessary 20 small party and independent Oireachtas members.
Therefore voters were given a choice in this opinion poll between Mrs McAleese and Mr Higgins. Their verdict, at this point, is overwhelmingly in favour of the sitting President. During a campaign one would expect a challenger to pick up some support. But with an opening position where Mrs McAleese has 75 per cent support and Mr Higgins just 10 per cent, the task is daunting.
Of course polls produce just a snapshot of opinion at a particular time, and public opinion can and does change substantially. Just four weeks before the 1990 presidential election, after a long and high-profile nationwide campaign, Mrs Mary Robinson registered just 27 per cent support before going on to win. A poll eight months before that election - such as this one - might well have seen her at the same level Mr Higgins is as now.
But history rarely repeat itself: ask Ms Adi Roche. The most significant reason why at this stage Mr Higgins chances seem remote is the almost universal approval of the performance of Mrs McAleese as President.
Among the population in general, 88 per cent are satisfied with her performance. This rises to 95 per cent among Fianna Fáil supporters. Even among supporters of Mr Higgins's own Labour Party, 86 per cent are satisfied with her performance, just 8 per cent dissatisfied and 6 per cent have no opinion.
It is not surprising that despite the overwhelming approval of Mrs McAleese's performance, almost half the voters nevertheless believe there should be an election. Asked if they would like an election or not, voters usually say they want one. This is not an indication that these people necessarily want one in order to change the President.
Fine Gael supporters are less keen than average on the idea of an election. In this a majority is supportive of the recently-stated position of Mr Kenny, who recently suggested he saw no need for a presidential election. Some 57 per cent of Fine Gael supporters say there should not be an election, 39 per cent that there should and 4 per cent have no opinion.
In contrast, 56 per cent of Labour Party supporters want to see an election, 41 per cent believe there should not be an election, and 4 per cent have no opinion.
Labour has stopped short of committing itself irreversibly to contesting the election, saying it will wait until after the European and local government elections before doing so. After this poll the party will be giving the issue long and careful consideration.