Doctors are the most trusted professionals in the State but TDs and pollsters belong to the least trusted professions, according to the findings of a survey published today.
The research was carried out by Millward Brown Lansdowne on behalf of the Medical Council, which regulates the medical profession.
A nationally representative sample of 1,008 adults was asked to indicate if they trusted 16 different professions. After doctors, teachers (79 per cent), professors (72 per cent) and judges (71 per cent) were found to be the next most trusted professions.
Only half the population trust clergymen or priests to tell the truth, but they are trusted more highly than journalists, with just 37 per cent of people surveyed saying they trusted them to tell the truth. However, television newsreaders are viewed as trustworthy by 63 per cent of the public.
Civil servants are trusted by just 45 per cent of people while trade union officials and business leaders are trusted by only 32 per cent and 27 per cent of the public respectively.
While only one in 10 people trusted TDs to tell the truth in this survey, the Medical Council noted that the research was conducted between February 9th and March 3rd when the debate over the general election was intense.
Some 85 per cent of people polled felt that doctors were doing their jobs well and 93 per cent of people were satisfied with the performance of the doctor they attend most often.
The survey was conducted in advance of the introduction of new legal requirements which aim to maintain and build trust between patients and doctors.
From May 1st, all doctors have a statutory obligation to maintain their professional competence, by engaging in lifelong learning and skills development. Doctors will be required to enrol in professional competence schemes (which will be operated by postgraduate training bodies) and fulfil requirements set by the medical council.