Irish support for EU membership remains strong despite concerns about the direction it is taking and declining trust in political institutions, writes Noelle O Connell
Despite a slight decline of four percent from 2023, the overwhelming majority of people in Ireland (84%) and Northern Ireland (76%) believe Ireland should remain a member of the European Union, according to the EU Poll 2024 from European Movement Ireland.
While support for EU membership remains strong, however, the 2024 results indicate a notable decline in both jurisdictions on the question of whether or not the EU is moving in the right direction – down from 58 percent in 2023 to 49 percent this year.
Voter concerns
Ireland’s continuing support for EU membership is welcome at a pivotal time for Europe.
This year’s less favourable findings on several key issues are of concern, however, and serve as a timely reminder of the continual need for public engagement, dialogue and communication on EU affairs.
It also highlights the need for the EU to listen to voters’ concerns.
Areas of low satisfaction with the EU’s performance include its response to issues such as migration, the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Forty-six percent of respondents in Ireland and 44 percent in Northern Ireland ranked the EU’s performance on the issue of migration as its weakest. The timing of this survey coincides with the debate on the new EU Migration and Asylum Pact.
The EU’s performance on trade and business continues to score well among respondents at 46 percent in Ireland and 55 percent in Northern Ireland. This underlines the positive public perception of the Single Market and its benefit to the economies in the North and south.
Political popularity
Of concern in this year’s poll is the growing lack of trust in political institutions in Ireland and Northern Ireland, which could reflect a wider global trend of increasing polarisation in public and political discourse.
When asked which of the institutions they trusted most, 34 percent chose the Irish Government and 26 percent the EU. A significant majority (40 percent) stated none of the above.
In Northern Ireland, trust in the EU came in at 28 percent, while trust in the Irish Government ranked higher than the UK Government at 24 percent compared to just eight percent, with the Northern Ireland Executive being included this year for the first time.
Thirty-one percent said they did not trust any of the institutions listed.
Expanding the EU
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the biggest ever enlargement of the European Union when ten countries became members under the Irish presidency in 2004.
We welcome the consistently strong support across the island of Ireland for EU enlargement, with 57 percent in favour of more countries joining the Union.
Noelle O Connell is CEO of European Movement Ireland
LOADING...