Latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll points to jobs as core issue

Creating jobs, putting more money in people's pockets and growing the economy are the issues that will decide which party people vote for at the next election, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll.

Job creation easily outstrips all other issues, but the top three all relate to the economy.

Protecting the vulnerable is also a significant issue but reforming politics and speaking honestly and openly are not near the top of the list.

In the poll, voters were asked to rate 10 issues and were given a choice as to whether they were the most important, the second most important or the third most important.

When all mentions are taken together, creating jobs topped the list and was referred to by 63 per cent of voters. It also rated highest at the single most important issue at 29 per cent.

Putting more money in people’s pockets came second on the combined list and as the single most important issue.

Growing the Irish economy and lowering taxes came next in order of importance, followed by protecting the most vulnerable in society. Keeping Government spending under control was in sixth place, followed by speaking honestly and openly in seventh, reforming the way we do politics in eighth, managing the country’s relationship with the EU in ninth and playing an active role at community level in tenth.

Highest priority

In party terms, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin voters gave the highest priority to job creation with Labour voters the least swayed by that issue. Fine Gael voters were far more concerned about growing the economy than Sinn Féin voters with Labour and Fianna Fáil voters in between.

Labour voters were more concerned than supporters of other parties with protecting the most vulnerable, speaking honestly and openly and reforming the way we do politics.

There were some interesting variations on the importance of putting more money in people’s pockets, with Sinn Féin voters being most concerned with this issue, followed by Fianna Fáil supporters. Fine Gael voters gave a lower rating to this than supporters of other parties.

Keeping Government spending under control attracted roughly the same level of support across the party spectrum.

Women gave a higher rating than men to protecting the most vulnerable in society while men gave a higher rating than women to growing the economy. The sexes were agreed on the importance of job creation.

Parties

The survey was carried out on Monday and Tuesday last week among a representative sample of 1,200 voters aged 18 and over, in face-to-face interviews at 100 sampling points in all constituencies. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.8 per cent.

In the Irish Times poll last December voters were asked to rate which parties would be best at dealing with the same ten issues. Fine Gael came out best on creating jobs, growing the economy, keeping Government spending under control and managing the country's relationship with the EU.

Sinn Féin was ahead for putting money in people’s pockets, lowering taxes and protecting the vulnerable.