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What issues are we concerned about?

What issues are we concerned about?

CSO statistical publication, , 11am

Issues facing Ireland

Respondents were asked, from the items listed in Table 6.1, what they thought the top three issues facing Ireland are. The availability, quality, or affordability of housing was the topmost frequently selected answer with seven in ten respondents selecting this as a top issue. This was followed by inflation/cost of living (59.7%) and availability, quality, or affordability of essential services (healthcare, education etc.) (57%).

Figure 6.1 Percentage of respondents who rated the following as one of the top three issues facing Ireland, 2023
Table 6.1 Percentage of respondents who rated the following as one of the top three issues facing Ireland, 2023

Priorities

With regards to policy priorities, respondents were asked on a scale of 0-10, where 0 is not at all prioritised and 10 is completely prioritised, how important did they think it is that each of the following goals are prioritised in Ireland:

  1. Providing equal opportunities for all in the Republic of Ireland
  2. Helping workers in the Republic of Ireland adapt to automation, digitalisation, and new technologies
  3. Reducing Republic of Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions
  4. Reducing public debt in the Republic of Ireland
  5. Creating the conditions for businesses to thrive in the Republic of Ireland
  6. Managing migration in the Republic of Ireland

Responses were grouped as Not prioritised (0-4), Neutral (5), or Prioritised (6-10).

More than three in four respondents (77.2%) thought that providing equal opportunities for all in Ireland should be prioritised in Ireland. 

Three quarters of respondents thought that creating the conditions for businesses to thrive in Ireland should be prioritised.

Six in ten respondents felt reducing Irelands greenhouse emissions should be prioritised.

Approximately half of respondents felt managing migration should be prioritised in Ireland.

Figure 6.2 Share of respondents who think it is important that Ireland prioritises the respective goal, 2023
Table 6.2 Respondents opinion on whether each of the following goals should be prioritised in Ireland, 2023

More men than women (79.5% versus 74.9%) thought providing equal opportunities for all should be prioritised in Ireland.

Figure 6.3 Respondents opinion on whether providing equal opportunities for all should be prioritised in Ireland by gender, 2023

A higher proportion of respondents living in cities (67.5%) felt reducing Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions should be prioritised compared to those living in towns (61.9%) and rural areas (57.7%).

Figure 6.4 Respondents opinion on whether reducing Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions should be prioritised in Ireland by degree of urbanisation, 2023

Greenhouse gases and future generations

Respondents were asked “on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is not at all confident and 10 is completely, how confident are you that the Republic of Ireland will succeed in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the next ten years?” and “on a scale of 0 to 10, how confident are you that your national government adequately balances the interests of current and future generations?”. Responses were grouped as Not confident (0-4), Neutral (5) and Confident (6-10).

Six in ten respondents were not confident that the national government adequately balances the interests of current and future generations.

Over half (57.6%) of respondents were not confident that Ireland will succeed in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the next ten years.

Figure 6.5 Respondents confidence levels that the national government adequately balances the interests of current and future generations
Figure 6.6 Respondents confidence levels that Ireland will succeed in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the next 10 years, 2023
Table 6.3 Percentage of respondents for each confidence rating on the below items, 2023

Differences were seen between age groups with six in ten respondents aged 18 to 29 years and aged 30 to 49 years answering they were not confident that Ireland will succeed in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the next ten years compared to five in ten of those aged 50 and over.

Figure 6.7 Percentage of respondents who were not confident (0-4) that Ireland will succeed in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the next ten years by age group, 2023
Table 6.4 Percentage of respondents who were not confident (0-4) that Ireland will succeed in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the next ten years by age group, 2023