Poll shows 76% support for EMU

Three-quarters of voters believe Ireland should join the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999, according to the latest Irish Times/MRBI opinion poll published today. Some 70 per cent think Ireland should join the single currency even if Britain does not.

There is also strong support for the Irish presidency's plan to secure a common European effort on the unemployment and drugs problems.

The poll on European issues was conducted among a national quota sample of 1,000 electors at 100 sampling points throughout all constituencies in the State on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week to mark the Irish Presidency of the EU.

Staunch support for the EU and a single European currency by the turn of the century are the poll's main findings.

A clear majority of voters 56 per cent, across all of the main parties, would be sorry if they were told tomorrow the EU was scrapped. The biggest majorities for the EU come from ABC1 respondents (73 per cent); bigger farmers (64 per cent) and men (63 per cent). Some 8 per cent of voters would be relieved 8 percent would not care, and 9 per cent are undecided.

There are overwhelming majorities in all Dail parties for EMU. Asked whether Ireland should or should not join the single currency in 1999, leaving aside whether Britain decided to join, 76 percent are in favour of joining, 14 per cent are against and 10 per cent don't know.

Seven out of ten voters believe the Irish presidency's plan to secure a common European effort on drugs will make a difference. While 50 per cent think that it will make some difference, a further 9 per cent believe that it will make a big difference. Some 30 per cent believe it will make no difference.

On unemployment, two-thirds of voters support the Irish presidency's efforts to tackle the problem on a common EU front, with 51 per cent of voters believing it will make some difference.