Irish people have the highest life satisfaction in the EU according to a new study(Image: Getty Images)

Irish people have highest life satisfaction in the EU, new survey reveals

17 Dec 2024, 21:02 by Ciara O'Loughlin · Irish Mirror

Irish people have the highest life satisfaction in the EU according to the latest Eurobarometer study.

Some 98 per cent of people in Ireland say they are satisfied with their life, compared to the EU average of 86 per cent. We came out on top of the 27 countries, followed by Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

Ireland’s life satisfaction score is now 2 per cent higher than the last Eurobarometer survey taken last Spring. The quality of life of people in Ireland has also risen in the past six months.

Some 19 per cent of respondents said their life has improved, compared to 16 per cent in the last survey. Housing remains the number one issue for people in Ireland, with 63 per cent saying it's their biggest cause for concern.

This compares to just 13 per cent of all EU respondents noting that housing is their key national concern. Inflation and the cost of living is Irish people’s second biggest issue, with 39 per cent citing this as their key concern.

Some 44 per cent of all respondents in the EU said ensuring peace and stability in their country should be the union’s main priority in the short term. In the medium term, 33 per cent said security and defence should be its main priority and 29 per cent said migration.

At an EU level, the war in Ukraine continues to be what Irish people are most concerned about with 46 per cent noting this. Support for Ukraine remains high among the 27 EU countries.

Nearly nine in 10 Europeans surveyed (87 per cent) said they agree with providing humanitarian support to those affected by the war. Some 71 per cent of EU citizens support economic sanctions on the Russian government, companies, and individuals and 68 per cent agree with providing financial support to Ukraine.

Immigration is the second most important EU issue for Irish people, with 33 per cent of those surveyed in Ireland saying it’s their biggest concern. Attitude to immigrants remains high in this country, with 76 per cent saying they believe immigrants contribute positively to Irish society. This compared to an EU average of 53 per cent.

Irish people also have a significantly higher satisfaction with the country’s democratic system compared to the EU average. Some 77 per cent said they are satisfied with how democracy works in Ireland.

This is the sixth highest in the EU and 25 per cent more than the union average. Irish people also have a very strong attachment to their home country (97 per cent) and town (94 per cent).

There has also been a marked increase in attachment to the EU in Ireland with 70 per cent. This is up 9 per cent from this time last year. Ireland has a higher than average trust in traditional media at 77 per cent compared to the EU average of 69 per cent.

Despite the rise of social media, fewer people in Ireland are using online social networks as a source of news on political matters. Some 26 per cent of Irish respondents say they use social media to get political news, compared to 31 per cent in the last survey.

Younger cohorts show much higher usage of social networks as a political news source, with just under half of all respondents under 25 citing this. This is compared to just 9 per cent of those over 55.

Ireland’s trust in the EU is slightly higher than the average of the 27 countries at 56 per cent compared to 51 per cent. Denmark (68 per cent) and Lithuania (67 per cent) are the most trusting of the EU.

An overall trust of 51 per cent in the EU is the highest result since 2007. While 56 per cent of Irish people said they trust the EU, a total of 64 per cent said they have a positive attitude towards the union.

This is a dip of 2 per cent since the last survey and 20 per cent higher than the EU average. Earlier this year, half the country voted in the European elections while former Finance Minister Michael McGrath took a seat as the new EU Commissioner for Justice.

Barbara Nolan, Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland said the report shows that after these renewals Irish people have greater attachment to the European Union.

She added: “I am confident that the new European Commission, which started its mandate in December, will go the extra mile to justify this trust and deliver on the promise of a competitive and prosperous European Union for the Irish people and all Europeans.”

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