84% in Ireland worried about cost-of-living crisis, survey finds
A total of 84% of people in Ireland are worried about the cost-of-living crisis, while fewer than one in seven believe the Government is doing enough to address it.
Almost half of 1,243 adults surveyed by Ipsos B&A for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) said they feared that they would not meet household costs in the year ahead.
The poll shows how economic inequality has “eroded trust” amongst the public according to IHREC, with 13% of people believing that Ireland’s wealth is distributed fairly.
However, almost three-quarters of those surveyed said it is not.
Eight in ten people agreed that everyone should be treated equally regardless of “who they are or where they come from”.
That belief has been diminishing annually – from 85% in 2023 and 84% in 2024. IHREC has said that while the key support level remained high, the “negative trend” was “a clear cause for concern”.
Asked about efforts to combat discrimination in Ireland, four in ten people believed they were effective.
This response, according to the Commission, “speaks to a crisis of confidence” in institutions and political leadership, and indicates a level of concern about the direction in which society may be moving.
Increase in racism experienced in Ireland
While 14% of respondents said they experienced racism in the past year, up from 10% in 2024; among non-white Irish, the figure was 66%.
Two in three non-white Irish people directly experienced racism in 12 months.
Disabled people reported similar challenges, with 16% reporting having experiencing discrimination, up six points from last year. Among 18 to 24-year-olds, 37% witnessed disability-based discrimination.
Chief commissioner Liam Herrick said the poll showed “an Ireland pulled in two directions”.
“On one hand, growing inequality and increasing reports of discrimination. On the other, a resilient and deep commitment in our society for values of fairness, solidarity and justice,” he said.
“The lived experiences behind those perceptions are stark. These are not abstract percentages. They represent adults excluded from employment, children bullied in classrooms, neighbours harassed on the street. They reveal an Ireland where the promise of equality is receding.”
Mr Herrick called for leadership to address the trends that are emerging.
“Economic inequality, racism, and democratic erosion are not forces of nature. They are outcomes of policy, and the consequence of political choice and political rhetoric. And they are outcomes that can be changed by courage, action and solidarity,” he added.
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