A new poll has revealed support for the European Union in Ireland has fallen to its lowest level since 2012. Support has been declining slowly since it hit a high in 2019 during Brexit negotiations.
At that time 93% of people expressed their continued backing for EU membership. Today that figure has fallen to 82%. The survey was carried out by Amárach Research, for the European Movement Ireland (EMI). About a third of respondents believe the EU is failing to uphold its core values and 26% are unhappy with the direction it is going in.
Concerns about migration (35%) and EU regulation (25%) were the top two key issues for those polled.
EU asylum policies have been attacked by anti-immigration campaigners and far-Right parties in Ireland, which is in the grips of a housing crisis.
Some Irish Eurosceptics want to bring the country out of the EU, and the proposed withdrawal is sometimes referred to as “Irexit”.
In the 12 months to the end of April 2024, Ireland’s population rose by 98,700 people – the largest 12-month increase since 2008.
There were 149,200 immigrants which was a 17-year high, and this was also the third successive 12-month period where over 100,000 people immigrated to Ireland.
30,000 were returning Irish citizens, 27,000 were from EU states, and 5,400 were from the UK.
The remaining 86,800 immigrants were citizens of other countries, according g to Ireland’s Central Statistics Office (CSO).
EMI’s chief executive Noelle O’Connell said it was encouraging to still see strong support for EU membership, but warned that the country “cannot be complacent” about support for EU membership.
“It is clear that we cannot be complacent, with some people expressing dissatisfaction with the EU’s current trajectory and Irish influence at EU level,” she added.
Supporters of the EU point to the major economic benefits Ireland has enjoyed as a member of the bloc, which it joined in 1973.
Seán Kelly, an Irish MEP who is aligned with the European People’s Party, wrote in a previous opinion piece: “EU membership has certainly delivered economic benefits to Ireland, having received over €40 billion in EU funds from 1973 until 2018, as a net recipient of the EU budget.
“The Single Market accounted for 40 % of total Irish exports in 2020. This market is said to represent more than €30 billion in added value to our economy.”