Irish support for Europe increases in wake of Brexit - Red C Poll

Pro-EU sentiment is in stark contrast to falling support across Europe, according to survey

Irish people are more determined than ever to stay in the EU following Britain's shock decision to leave, a new survey reveals today.

The pro-EU feeling here is in direct contrast to sentiment in other European countries where a growing number of people would rather see their country out of the union.

But the poll from Red C Research, in conjunction with partners at WIN/Gallup International across Europe, found just 20 per cent of Irish people want to leave the EU. The figure is down on a previous 2015 survey in which 22 per cent of Irish people said they would vote to leave. The same figure was 23 per cent in 2014.

The EU appears to be relatively secure elsewhere in Europe as well, with the percentage of people in Germany, France and Belgium who would vote to leave falling over the last 12 months. Those in Denmark and Sweden are also significantly less likely to vote to leave compared with a year ago.

However, there has been a significant increase in support to leave the EU in Finland (up from 29 per cent to 40 per cent) and in Greece (up from 38 per cent to 46 per cent). The large increase in support for leaving in Italy last year remains high in 2016 with 40 per cent (down from 42 per cent) wanting out.

When the study asked those in the UK how they would vote in a second referendum 54 per cent said they would prefer to be a part of the EU and 46 per cent preferring to remain out - down from the 54 per cent recorded in a Red C poll 12 months ago.

Along with Ireland, the Spanish (with 20% voting to leave) are the most pro EU of those polled.

Meanwhile, Irish people are the most likely to state they believe their country is moving in the right direction- 62 per cent according to the survey. The next most optimistic country is Iceland at 57 per cent.

However for most in Europe, the view is that their countries are heading in the wrong direction, most noticeably in Greece at 89 per cent, France 82 per cent and Italy 79 per cent.

Red C CEO Richard Colwell said: "2016 saw the EU foundations severely shaken. Votes in Greece, Italy, Finland would create further uncertainty in the markets. But what stands out also in the overwhelming view from EU citizens that their countries are heading in the wrong direction (most noticeable in France and Greece) which makes fertile ground for right-wing populist parties."

The Red C poll interviewed a representative sample of 1000 adults online across the country between November 27 and November 30 2016.

Fieldwork in other countries was also conducted online among nationally representative samples of adults from November 25 to December 7 2016.