The Irish are among the most optimistic in Europe about the economy and employment in the coming year, but are more worried than almost all others about the state of the health service, crime and rising prices.
Mark Brennock, Chief Political Correspondent
The Irish are among the most optimistic in Europe about the economy and employment in the coming year, but are more worried than almost all others about the state of the health service, crime and rising prices.
The latest Eurobarometer survey of EU public opinion, conducted on behalf of the European Commission, shows that while concern about unemployment is by far the top issue among the EU public in general, it barely registers as a concern in Ireland. Across the 25 EU member states 46 per cent put unemployment among the two most important issues facing their country, compared with just 8 per cent in Ireland. In contrast, precisely half of Irish people put the healthcare system among the two issues of most concern facing their country, compared with an EU average of just 15 per cent. Some 42 per cent chose crime as one of the two top issues, compared to the EU average of 24 per cent, and 36 per cent chose prices and inflation compared to the EU figure of 17 per cent.
The results will encourage the Government to continue making its well-worn case that its policies are substantially responsible for the State's economic prosperity. It will similarly encourage the Opposition to continue its equally well-worn criticisms of the Government over continued problems in the health services and "rip-off" prices.
The Eurobarometer poll is conducted twice a year. Some 29,430 people were interviewed face-to-face in the 25 EU member states, the two acceding countries (Bulgaria and Romania), the two candidate countries (Croatia and Turkey) and the northern part of Cyprus controlled by Turkey.
TNS/mrbi on behalf of the commission carried out the research in Ireland, involving just over 1,000 interviews.
Irish people are considerably more optimistic than the EU average not only about the economy - they are also upbeat about their job and financial situations and their lives in general. Some 46 per cent believe their lives will get better in the next 12 months, 47 per cent that they will stay the same, and just 4 per cent that they will get worse, with 3 per cent saying they don't know.
In the EU as a whole just 35 per cent believe their lives will get better, 49 per cent that they will stay the same, 13 per cent that they will get worse and 3 per cent say they don't know.
Some 34 per cent in Ireland believe the financial situation of their household will get better, compared to 25 per cent in rest of the EU, while 29 per cent believe their personal job situation will improve compared to 22 per cent in the EU in general. The economic situation in their own country is expected to improve by 28 per cent of Irish people compared to 19 per cent of EU citizens, and the employment situation is expected to get better by 32 per cent compared to just 20 per cent in the EU in general.
Those concerned about the economy range from 43 per cent in Germany to just 4 per cent in Ireland.
Ireland remains the second most enthusiastic of all 25 member states about EU membership, with 73 per cent seeing it as a good thing. Only Luxembourg, with 82 per cent approval of membership, ranks higher. In contrast, just 34 per cent of UK citizens, 32 per cent of Austrians and an average of 50 per cent throughout the EU see membership as a good thing.