Irish presidential hopeful Sean Gallagher has taken the lead in the race for Áras an Uachtarain, according to a new poll.
The high profile businessman appeared the front-runner and now sits with 39 percent of the vote in the seven-way contest to become next president.
Former poll topper Michael D Higgins fell to second place with 27 percent, with bookmaker Paddy Power slashing Gallagher's odds of succeeding Mary McAleese from 5/2 to 8/15.
Higgins blamed volatility in opinion polls for his drop to second place. He also spoke out this week at claims he is too old at 70 to become president saying the suggestion was "insulting."
Meanwhile, Martin McGuinness, who dropped three points in the poll to 13 percent, attacked plans to hold a debate between the two front runners saying it would simply be "more of the same" for the electorate.
Gallagher, who said it would be unfair to the other candidates, also dismissed the suggestion of a debate between himself and Higgins.
Fine Gael's Gay Mitchell slid two points to eight percent. He rejected the findings saying 40 percent of people decided their voting intention in the last general election in the last seven days.
Independent senator David Norris's support halved in the poll from 14 percent to seven percent. This week he described himself as the only true "24 carat" independent candidate.
Mary Davis's support fell five points to four percent. Dana Rosemary Scallon's dropped three points to two percent in the poll that was taken before the latest controversy about a bitter row within the singer's family.
