Trust Survey October 2023

Overview

Respondents were asked questions with relating to five different government qualities:

1. Fairness
2. Integrity
3. Openness
4. Reliability
5. Responsiveness

Respondents were asked to rate on a 0-10 point scale from ‘0 Very unlikely’ to ’10 Very likely’ their expectations of the likelihood of behaviours of public sector employees, politicians, and public institutions in relation to the above qualities. The mean likelihood score for each scenario was calculated by adding individual scores and dividing the total by the number of individuals using weights for each individual (see Background Notes for more details). In line with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD’s) recommended groupings, responses were grouped as Unlikely (0-4), Neutral (5) or Likely (6-10).

Fairness

Respondents were asked 3 questions relating to fairness in government and public services:

1. If a public sector employee interacts with the public in the area where you live, how likely do you think it is that they would treat all people equally regardless of their income level, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or country of origin?
2. If you or a member of your household applied for government benefit or service (e.g. unemployment benefits or other forms of income support), how likely do you think it is that your application would be treated fairly?
3. If the Oireachtas debated a policy reform, how likely do you think it is that it would adequately balance the needs of different regions and groups in society?

Over half (54.1%) of respondents thought it would be likely that a public sector employee would treat all people equally regardless of their income level, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity or country of origin compared to 50% of respondents in the 2021 Trust survey.

Approximately three out of four (73.6%) respondents thought it was likely their application would be treated fairly if they or a member of their household applied for a government benefit or service. In 2021, 76% of respondents thought it was likely their application would be treated fairly.

Less than half of respondents (41.5%) thought it was likely that the Oireachtas adequately balances the needs of different groups and regions in society when debating policy reform.

Fewer women (49.2%) than men (59.2%) thought it would be likely that a public sector employee would treat all people equally regardless of their income level, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or country of origin.

Respondents who were employed or retired were more likely to think they would be treated fairly when applying for a government benefit or service than those who were not.

More older respondents thought it was likely that the Oireachtas adequately balances the needs of different groups compared to younger respondents (see Table 5.4).

Integrity

Respondents were asked 4 questions relating to integrity in government and public services:

1. If a senior politician was offered the prospect of a well-paid job in the private sector in exchange for a political favour, how likely do you think it is that they would refuse it?
2. If a public sector employee was offered money by a citizen or a firm for speeding up access to a public service, how likely do you think it is that they would refuse it?
3. How likely do you think it is that the national parliament or congress (Oireachtas) would effectively hold the national government accountable for their policies and behaviour, for instance by questioning a minister or reviewing the budget?
4. If a corporation promoted a policy that benefited its industry but could be harmful to society as a whole, how likely do you think it is that the national government will agree to the corporation’s demand?

Six in ten respondents thought it was unlikely that a senior politician would refuse a well-paid private sector job in exchange for a political favour, this was the same in both the 2021 and 2023 Trust survey.

Four in ten respondents thought it was unlikely a public sector employee would refuse money from a citizen or a firm for speeding up access to a public service in both 2021 and 2023.

More than four in ten (44.1%) respondents thought it was unlikely the Oireachtas would effectively hold the national government accountable for their policies and behaviour. A lower percentage (39.6%) of women thought it was likely that the Oireachtas would hold the national government accountable for their policies and behaviour when compared to men (48%).

If a corporation promoted a policy that benefited its industry but could be harmful to society, over half (54.3%) of respondents thought it was likely that the national government would agree to the corporation’s demand. 

Three quarters of respondents who did not vote for a party currently in government in the last general election thought a senior politician was unlikely to refuse a well-paid private sector position in exchange for a political favour compared to half of those who voted for a party currently in government.

Close to seven in ten (67.8%) respondents who did not vote for a party currently in government thought that that the national government would be likely to agree to a corporation demands that promoted a policy that was harmful to society but good for industry compared to approximately four in ten (43.3%) respondents that did vote for a party currently in government.

Openness

Respondents were asked 4 questions relating to openness in government and public services:

1. If a decision affecting your community is to be made by the local government, how likely do you think it is that you would have an opportunity to voice your views?
2. If you need information about an administrative procedure (for example obtaining a passport, applying for benefits, etc.), how likely do you think it is that the information would be easily available?
3. If the national government was carrying out a reform, how likely do you think it is that it would clearly explain how you will be affected by the reform?
4. If you participate in a public consultation on reforming a major policy area (e.g. taxation, healthcare, environmental protection), how likely do you think it is that the government would adopt the opinions expressed in the public consultation?

Four in ten respondents (41.8%) felt it was likely that they would have an opportunity to voice their views if a decision affecting their community is to be made by the local government dropping from 52% in 2021.

More than 8 in 10 respondents (83.7%) thought that it was likely that if they needed information on an administrative procedure such as obtaining a passport it would be easily available. Similar results were found in 2021, with 83% of respondents reporting they thought it was likely information would be easily available.

Over half (54.1%) of respondents felt it was likely that national government would clearly explain how they will be affected by a reform they are carrying out.

One third of respondents thought it was likely that the government would adopt the opinions expressed in a public consultation on reforming a major policy area dropping from 40% in 2021.

A higher percentage of respondents living in cities (48.1%) thought they would be likely to have an opportunity to voice their views on decisions affecting their communities made by local government when compared to respondents living in towns (40.2%) and rural areas (45.4%).

Reliability

Respondents were asked three questions relating to reliability in government and public services:

1. If there was a large-scale emergency, how likely do you think it is that government institutions would be ready to protect people's lives?
2. If you share your personal data with a public agency/office, how likely do you think it is that it would be used for legitimate purposes only?
3. If new technologies (for example artificial intelligence or digital applications) became available, how likely do you think it is that the national government will regulate them appropriately and help businesses and citizens use them responsibly?

Six in ten respondents thought it was likely government institutions would be ready to protect people’s lives in a large-scale emergency.

Close to seven in ten respondents (68.6%) thought it was likely their personal data shared with a public agency or office would be used for legitimate purposes only, up from 65% in 2021.

One third of respondents thought it was likely that national government will regulate new technologies appropriately and help businesses and citizens use them responsibly.

Differences were seen in likelihood scores for reliability in government between respondents who voted for a party currently in government compared to those who did not. Of the respondents who voted for a party currently in government 67.9% thought it was likely government institutions would be ready to protect people’s lives in a large-scale emergency compared to 47% of those who did not vote for a party currently in government.

Responsiveness

Respondents were asked 4 questions relating to responsiveness in government and public services:

1. If many people complained about a public service that is working badly, how likely do you think it is that it would be improved?
2. If there is an innovative idea that could improve a public service, how likely do you think it is that it would be adopted by the responsible public agency/office?
3. If over half of the people clearly express a view against a national policy, how likely do you think it is that would be changed?
4. If the national government takes a decision, how likely do you think it is that it will draw on the best available evidence, research, and statistical data?

Close to six in ten (59.2%) respondents thought it was unlikely that a public service that is working badly would improve if many people complained. This has increased from 55% of respondents answering this would be unlikely in the 2021 Trust survey.

One third of respondents (33.9%) thought that it was likely that a national policy would be changed if over half of the people clearly express a view against it, dropping from 38% in 2021.

Four in ten respondents felt it was likely that national government makes a decision by drawing on the best available evidence, research, and statistical data.

In the 2023 Trust survey, 19.7% of respondents thought it was likely that an innovative idea to improve public service would be adopted by a public agency or office compared to 26% of respondents in the 2021 Trust survey.

Three quarters of respondents aged 18 to 29 years thought it was unlikely that an innovative idea to improve public service would be adopted by the responsible public agency/office.