THE PUBLIC has divided views about the National Asset Management Agency (Nama) plan, with more people against the project than for it, although a substantial number of voters have no opinion, according to the latest Irish Times /TNS mrbi poll.

Asked if they supported the Government's Nama proposal as a way of removing bad loans from the banking system, 26 per cent of voters said they were for it, 40 per cent were against and 34 per cent had no opinion. When asked if they favoured nationalising the banks, 36 per cent said they were for, 38 per cent were against and 25 per cent had no opinion.

The latest poll was taken on Monday and Tuesday of this week among a representative sample of 1,000 voters in face-to-face interviews at 100 sampling points in all 43 constituencies. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 per cent.

A striking feature of the poll is that while Fianna Fáil supporters are the most strongly supportive of Nama, Green Party, supporters are the most strongly against.

Among Fianna Fáil voters, 46 per cent favour Nama, while 26 per cent are against. Among the Greens, 50 per cent are against the plan while only 21 per cent are for it.