Public satisfaction with the Government is at its highest point for a year, at 46 per cent, a poll for The Irish Timeshas found.
The tns/MRBI poll shows a rise of nine percentage points on the Government's 37 per cent satisfaction rating since the last such poll was carried out in September 2005.
Some 58 per cent were dissatisfied with the Government in the September poll.
Exactly the same percentage of those polled, 46 per cent, said they were dissatisfied with the Government's performance, down 12 points on September's poll.
Eight per cent gave no opinion.
Support for the parties shows a boost for Fianna Fáil, which is up three points to 37 per cent.
The Progressive Democrats support rating drops a point to 3 per cent.
Fine Gael's overall support also drops a single percentage point to 24 per cent, while support for the Labour Party is up by two points to 16 per cent, according to the poll figures.
Sinn Féin's support drops one point to 9 per cent, while the greens are also down one percentage point to 4 per cent.
Support for other parties is unchanged at 8 per cent.
In a further boost for the Taoiseach, his personal popularity rating is up nine points to 56 per cent since September.
A total of 37 per cent of those polled said they were dissatisfied with Mr Ahern's performance, a drop of 10 percentage points on September's poll.
Seven per cent gave no opinion on Mr Ahern's performance.
The positive showing for the Government and for Fianna Fáil follows a largely well-received Budget in December.
The Budget provided for increases in social welfare payments, including children's allowance and the old-age pension as well as additional support measures for childcare and an increase in paid maternity leave.
The Budget also sought to wind down or limit certain tax reliefs for higher earners.
Further details of the poll figures will be published in tomorrow's Irish Times.