88% of people in Ireland support EU membership
Dublin, 9 May 2022: A special edition of the annual EM Ireland ‘Ireland and the EU’ Poll, to mark the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s vote to join the then EEC, found that support for Ireland remaining a member of the EU has increased by 4% since 2021 to 88%. The poll findings come almost 50 years to the day when 83% of people in Ireland voted in favour of joining the EEC on 10 May 1972. The 2022 poll, conducted by RED C Research, also found that 79% of people agreed that EU membership has had a positive impact on their lives.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 59% agreed that Ireland should be part of increased EU defence and security co-operation. This figure increased from 54% in 2021.
76% of respondents agreed they have a good understanding of how the EU works, in contrast with suggestions of a knowledge gap between citizens and the EU institutions.
Commenting on the findings, Noelle O Connell, CEO of European Movement Ireland said,
“It is encouraging that today, on Europe Day and as we mark 50 years of Ireland’s membership of the EU, to see support for membership rise in Ireland to 88%. This broad support may be reflected in the fact that a similarly large majority of people agreed the EU has impacted their own lives in a positive way.
“People’s attitude to increased EU defence and security cooperation has fluctuated over the years. It averaged 58% from 2017-2019, dropped to 49% in 2020, then increased to 54% in 2021 and rose further to 59% this year. While the war in Ukraine may account for this slight increase in support, the data shows that opinion on this subject remains quite uncertain.
“Irish citizens are consistently among the most positive about EU membership when compared with other Member States. However, things can change rapidly. As we reflect on 50 years of EU membership, we also must continue to work to maintain this strong level of support in Ireland in the years to come.
“As the Conference on the Future of Europe concludes it is vital that the recommendations, arising from engagement with thousands of citizens across the EU, are implemented and that the precedent of mass citizen engagement established by the conference is maintained.”
EM Ireland will conduct a second round of ‘Ireland and the EU’ fieldwork over the summer and release a full set of results in September 2022.
For more, follow #EMIRedCPoll2022
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Key Findings:
88% agree that Ireland should remain a member of the EU; 7% disagree; 5% don’t know.
79% feel that Ireland’s EU membership has had a positive impact their lives as Ireland approaches 50 years since joining the EU.
76% say they have a good understanding of how the EU works.
59% agree that Ireland should be part of increased EU defence and security co-operation.
A full breakdown of results can be found here.
Social Media:
EM Ireland: twitter.com/emireland | facebook.com/emireland | linkedin.com/company/european-movement-ireland | instagram.com/europeanmovementireland/ #EMIRedCPoll2022
Notes:
- The full set of poll results are available at http://bit.ly/EMIIrelandandtheEUPoll
- Contact Lisa Nic an Bhreithimh, Head of Communications and Education, EM Ireland to arrange for interview / comment: lisa@europeanmovement.ie ; 0879503539
- Tá urlabhraithe Gaeilge ar fáil le hagallaimh a dhéanamh leis na meáin Gaeilge;
- Methodology: This infographic illustrates the results of a RED C opinion poll, commissioned by European Movement Ireland to ascertain the views of Irish people on a variety of topics related to Irish-EU relations. This year’s Ireland and the EU Poll fieldwork is being carried out in two tranches, the first during 18 – 23 March 2022, a special edition of the poll to mark the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s vote to join the EEC in May 1972, the results of which can be found here. The second tranche will be conducted during the summer and released in autumn 2022. Both polls are being conducted among a representative sample of 1,001 people aged 18 and over from across the country. A series of statements were read out and respondents were asked by RED C to Agree Strongly, Agree Slightly, Disagree Strongly or Disagree Slightly. We have grouped responses into Agree and Disagree and have included when respondents said Don’t Know.
- About European Movement Ireland: Founded in 1954, European Movement (EM) Ireland is the longest established Irish NGO working on European affairs. An independent, not-for-profit, membership organisation, EM Ireland works to develop the connection between Ireland and the European Union. We facilitate links between all sectors of Irish society and the EU, through advocacy campaigns, education programmes, training courses, information briefings and networking events. For more information, visit europeanmovement.ie .