PUBLIC FAITH in the Irish economy has collapsed and Irish voters became steadily more doubtful about the European Union between 2006 and 2008, according to a poll.
The Eurobarometer survey was taken in October and is conducted every six months in each of the EU’s 27 member states. “Irish people are extremely pessimistic about the future of the Irish economy as a whole and the country’s future job prospects,” the EU polling group said yesterday.
Support for Irish membership of the EU dropped 10 percentage points from 77 in spring 2006 to 67 per cent in autumn 2008, the survey found. “This did not all happen in 2008 (before or during the Lisbon Treaty referendum campaign). Instead, there was a very gradual, almost imperceptible, decline,” the group said.
The EU’s positive rating has dropped 14 points in the period, from 73 to 59 per cent, though those changing their minds have become “Don’t Knows” rather than joining the “No” camp.
Prof Richard Sinnott, who conducted the poll in Ireland on behalf of Eurobarometer, said there was no evidence to suggest the EU had enjoyed “a rebound effect” after the Lisbon Treaty referendum defeat last year.
The UCD academic said the post-referendum analysis that women had significantly opposed the treaty was “somewhat exaggerated”. He said there was evidence that manual workers were more jaundiced about the EU, and that those who knew most about the EU were most positive towards it.
“The results show that we need to mobilise resources to increase knowledge and understanding of how the EU works,” said Martin Territt, head of the European Commission’s office in Dublin.
The number with a neutral view of the EU has risen from 21 per cent to 31 points, while those with a negative attitude rose just four points, from six to 10 per cent.
Ireland is “overwhelmingly positive” towards the euro, but voters are less positive about other elements of EU policy. Support for an EU common defence and security policy fell from 59 to 48 points. Support for further enlargement has fallen from 45 to 35 points.
Despite the gloom, 88 per cent of the Irish were “satisfied overall with the life they lead” – ranking them the sixth most optimistic in the EU. “So while people are decidedly negative about the economy and the future of it, on the bright side they still express a high level of happiness with their own personal lives,” Eurobarometer said.
Trust in Irish political institutions fell sharply last year. In October just 23 per cent had confidence in political parties, compared to 27 per cent in the spring.
