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ONLY A MINORITY of Irish voters would back the country leaving the European Union, according to a new poll.
Only 10% of respondents to a poll carried out on behalf of Claire Byrne Live and TheJournal.ie on Monday said they would back such a move.
Last weekend, Nigel Farage was the main speaker at a conference examining the possibilities presented by an ‘Irexit’, held at Dublin’s RDS.
Here’s how the poll broke down:
Would you support Ireland leaving the EU?
The poll was carried out by Amarách Research on Monday of this week. The panel consisted of more than 1,000 Irish adults aged over 18.
Speaking ahead of the conference last weekend, Farage, the former UKIP leader, contended that Ireland had “paid a very big price” for its membership of the EU.
Farage linked Ireland’s membership of the Euro to the credit-fuelled housing bubble and said that Ireland’s economic development was not thanks to EU membership.
He also claimed that the leaders of the European Union want to abolish individual nation states.
While Farage and other speakers were met with a warm reception by the attendees at last weekend’s RDS event, Irexit campaigners may have an uphill battle on their hands.
A survey carried out by the European Commission last year found that, out of all EU nations, the Irish were the most positive about membership of the union.
Irish people were the most optimistic of all (77%) and most likely of all to have a positive image of the EU, at 58%.
Ireland was followed by Luxembourg at 73%, Malta at 71% and Denmark at 70%. Pessimism is the majority view in Greece (69%), Cyprus (52%), the Czech Republic (51%) and the United Kingdom (49% vs 39% in total ‘optimistic’).
Irish respondents (83%) were also in joint second place with Slovenia for support for the Euro.
The Irexit conference was organised by the Eurosceptic European Parliament grouping the EFD, which does not have any Irish MEPs.
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Re-run this poll once the EU begins its push for tax harmonisation (which is coming) and a full-fledged EU army.
@Zach Addington: tax harmonisation isn’t coming, seeing as that would require a new treaty, and a treaty can only be passed with the full agreement of all the 27
Luxembourg, Ireland, Holland and Poland would all veto tax harmonisation.. It’s a nom-runner
@Zach Addington: just wait until the full on sh@tshow that is Brexit unfolds fully. That 10% will soon change their mind. Brexit was the greatest act of economic suicide since the guarantee. In fact, it’s an even more stupid idea as there is an end in sight for the hard times.
@Zach Addington: tax harmonisation in the EU is impossible without a joint agreement which wont happen. EU army will never happen as that wud mean a referendum in many countries. Europe has been good for ireland despite the naysayers. We were once the albania of western europe dont forget
@Zach Addington: Nothing to be afraid of by either suggestion, it is time that companies paid more tax to pay for our health services and education. Ireland may be a neutral country but it needs defences to effectively moniter & protect our borders both land and sea.
@JJ O Riordan: Brexit didn’t pass because of the economy. It passed because of the EU’s free movement of people allowing basically anyone into the country. Some people like to protect their borders.
@Zach Addington:
So we should remain neutral and stand idly by if a country commits a crime against humanity?
Yugoslavia 1992?
Rwanda 1993?
World War 2 or the emergency for neutral Ireland.
@Anti PC, Anti Libtard: Funnily though, that most people that the little Englanders, and eejits like you, object to, didn’t come from EU countries, but from the Commonwealth, on which leaving the EU had zilch effect
@Zach Addington: Ireland was guaranteed tax autonomy if Lisbon mk 2 was passed. If the EU repeal that tax autonomy without a fresh Irish referendum to approve it’s removal then the result of Lisbon mk 1 would be the only referendum result that would be valid as the terms of a referendum can not be altered without approval by the Irish people.
@Anti PC, Anti Libtard: see? You even admitted it yourself. They weren’t from Europe and therefore didn’t have free movement rights within the EU
That’s 10% of people asked, Not 10% of the country, Misleading headline.
@Dave O Keeffe: millions have entered the EU from outside Europe through the illegal migrant crisis, many invited by Merkel. Then following this Merkel and the EU are unilaterally forcing various sovereign nation-states to admit migrants which entered the EU illegally.
@Zach Addington: great “Irish” name you have there
@Chucky Arlaw: like the eu cares about what we vote for.. our veto be ignored.
@No One Important: fedraisation will bring with it tax harmonisation and an EU army. The Euro collapsing will sponsor a fast move to consolidate.
@Zach Addington:
Also when the Euro currency falls flat on its face which it inevitablly will and they consolidate countries sovereign power back to Brussels…times will be interesting then.
@Zach Addington: should be reworded should Ireland jump off a cliff with delusional arrogant Britain? No… no…
. no … no … no
@Zach Addington: Anyone in favour of an ‘Irexit’ should be sent straight to an asylum.
@Zach Addington: Fake it til you make it Zach. One day you might convince a handful of us that you know what you’re on about.
@Fred Croydon: Brilliant
@Anti PC, Anti Libtard: Wrong. It passed because a bunch of gullible and impressionable people like you can’t tell when they are being lied to and manipulated. Still, it’s been entertaining watching all the right wing “hard men” trying to defend it. So hard they have to post anonymously in case their mammy finds out how edgy and sophisticated they are.
@Ron: What else do your tea leaves say “Ron”?
Is this the same source that said the Euro would fold up by 2012?
@Royston Fitzpatrick: We do care in the community thse days Royston. It makes them a little less needy.
@Anti PC, Anti Libtard: whereabouts in the EU is Syria. Is it between Germany and Austria?
@Royston Fitzpatrick: What year did you do your leaving cert?
@Danny Rafferty: the irony in your comment is ridiculous. You talk about lies and manipulation? You resort to insults when I speak the truth. You must be a hard man insulting people on the internet when their point becomes invalid.
@Royston Fitzpatrick: If you know me as you claim to, then just answer the question – otherwise I’ll just assume you’re a chancer
@Dot Com: Are you serious, have you never heard of a poll
@Simon O’Connor: Jesus Si! You’re persistent! I’ll be heading into town to Charlie Foley’s tomorrow for the Pool game if you or Andrew are about.
@JJ O Riordan: No the country of Syria is actually not in the EU. It’s actually in the middle East. Millions of their citizens are currently in the EU though but that’s ok I suppose if you enjoy the way your money is funding these beautiful people’s lives.
@Royston Fitzpatrick: Haha, I’m persistent when I want to be. You can’t answer the question. All you did was have a sneaky look at my profile. Am I right?
@No One Important: Factually incorrect rubbish AGAIN from yet another anonymous fantasist.
Must be nothing on the telly tonight.
@Royston Fitzpatrick: I’m not from Killarney at all, but nice try. Tell me where I’m from?
@Zach Addington: not everyone listening to Claire Byrne show i would say exit and any one I know would say exit
@Anti PC, Anti Libtard: I’m not being insulting, I’m being descriptive. What point of mine are you trying to debate oh fearsome anonymous one?
@Danny Rafferty: we avoided that fold when we agreed to take in 42% of the EU’s debt with 1% of its population. This is why we have hospitals and infrastructure akin to a developing country
Another poll to influence the people :)
Be as Nice and Lisbon was anyways. Either vote the way of the USE United States of Europe , or it’s not counted ..
@Willy Malone: you mean when we voted no, the treaty was changed to address our concerns (ie ensuring we keep our commissioners), then we voted yes when the treaty had been changed?
Yeah that’s pretty democratic.
@Willy Malone: yaaawwwnnn. The EU addressed our concerns and changed it accordingly. Ironically the only way that Brexit was possible was because of our insistence of a get out clause. But if you want to hold up never elected Farage as your shinning light who legged it when Brexit happened says more about you.
@Willy Malone: Willy , where is Wally these days , we sure miss all that talk of banksters and neoliberals. Bring him back goddammit
@Willy Malone: we had the option to vote no again, but we chose to vote yes.
@Anne Marie Devlin: Whereas the British government didn’t allow their citizens a vote on any of the EU treaties and rubber stamped them through parliament. Is it any wonder the people voted out of the EU having been duped by their government over EU membership.
@Chris Kirk: Chris the UK is not a democracy. It’s a constitutional monarchy. The people have never had a vote on any legislation. The only power in the UK allowed to vote on laws there is the parliament. For example even though there was a vote in favour of Brexit it is not a binding vote and parliament could stop the process anytime they want.
@Paul: just because Britain is a constitutional monarchy doesn’t mean it’s not a democracy.
I suggest you look up the definition of democracy before you post another embarrassing comment.
@Deborah Behan: Nigel Farage could not do anything but leave UKIP.
His goal was accomplished.
He had more use back in the EU as an MEP for Brexiit, together with his slot with LBC.
@Willy Malone: The aim of the EU federalists is to have the superstate in place with complete federalization by 2025, with tax harmonization and it`s own army. Just wait till your little darlings are conscripted into the EU army and see how you like it. The Spinelli group are quite open about their federal aims, look them up and see whats coming down the tracks, you voted for it in Nice and Lisbon, when the made you vote twice, which they will again if you give the wrong answer.
@Chucky Arlaw: EU did no such thing. Propaganda drove the vote to a yes we were duped. It was an undemocratic slap in the face
We should not leave, but we should use Britain leaving as a justifiable means to renegotiate the likes of the common fisheries policy. Since entering the EU we recieve meer scrapes of quota in our own waters. With the Uk exiting this is valid ground to demand an increased share, as the status quo for quotas no longer applies due to the UK’s waters being removed. Germany and france get bigger viting rights/seats in EU parliament due to larger population. Likewise Ireland with the largest sea area should have the largest block of votes in respect of the CFP or fishing. But just watch the fishermen will be thrown to the wolves to prop up farmers..
@Jonathan Whelan: agree and there like to be much more potential for single market benefits we should push for , mortgage rates in Ireland are disgracefully higher than German and other eu countries , same with insurance ( eu regulators raised last year to investigate cartel style pricing here ) but defo should be more pushing for benefits if large 500 million people single market to reduce rip off Ireland price scams
@Fred Croydon: BS Really?? Do you honestly think the CAP can continue as it is? There is a two tier system where eastern countries recieve less! Look at Norway, Greenland, iceland & the faroes??? No CAP or CFP in these countries and they have massive indigenous fisheries which are “profitable” without the need for subsidies like farming! If parish pump politics and short sightness like the one you hold where abandoned we could have shipyards, fish factories and ancilliary industries all the way down the West coast were there is a need for jobs and these jobs would be real, tangible, not those based on tax incentives. By the way compete in fishing? Obvious you never were on the porcupine bank or heard of swan net gundry? Only yhing that held back irish fishing was irish farming
@Dave Hammond: Dead right Dave if the super rich can register there interests in other eu countries the little man should be afforded the same equality when seeking financial services.
@Jonathan Whelan: You are certainly right to the point that Irish farmers get a better deal from Europe than do fishermen. But lets be fair to other EU member countries where we sell most of our meat and dairy produce. Ireland doesn’t have big fishing fleets like Spain & Portugal or onshore fish processing factories. We sell higher value farmed sea products to French restaurants including salmon, trout and lobster. The average Irish person does’t eat so much unprocessed fish anyway.
@Chris Kirk: Very valid point Chris. But we did have small fish factories in places like renard in kerry, west galway etc in the 70′s but were not supported by gov. 80% of fish caught in irish waters is by foreign vessels! My point is look at the likes of Dell, given big tax breaks to come, once they saw an advantage moved to poland! Every job at sea creates 6 ashore farming has no where near that multipler and if/when the subsidises reduce they will have less benefit in rural areas. But fishing on the other hand would create boatyards, shipwrights, welders fabricators & process jobs in areas that Foreign direct investment industries would never help. Plus you can’t eat an iphone and also from a carbon footprint point of view fishing way more environmentally friendly than intense farming.
‘the Irish were the most positive about membership of the union’
Probably because historically we were the begging bowl of the EU, we’re an island separated from mainland Europe omitted from the real EU debate and Irish media still operate on a parochial platform keeping the populace ignorant of the corruption at the heart of Brussels.
10% is a surprisinglyhigh starting point for any campaign to remove our country from the straightjacket of German economic policy.
@Niccolo Saccho: bahahahahahahaha, you must be well used to people laughing at you at this stage.
*Irony Alert*
@Deborah Behan: I have a sneaking suspicion “Niccolo” will fade away in the coming days and mutate into someone else.
@Niccolo Saccho: We couldn’t manage our own country without Europe, the bank bailout proved that. Irish governments are parish pump politics with poorly educated politicians. How many can even speak another European language.
@Niccolo Saccho: if we didn’t have Europe to beg from we could hardly turn to begging from the likes of China.
@DaisyChainsaw: not so much Dr Who just Mr Whoever!
@Deborah Behan: bahahahahahhah! The Bank bailout! The Anglo Promissory Note! The ‘game changer’! Enjoy paying off the Anglo debt til the 2050s!
When RTE as people its got to be correct. There is a lot of anti EU sediment than we think. Problem is media hide a lot of it.
The whole army thing could be a tipping point in a few years.
@Paul:
Ever watch the RTE news? Parish pump politics and the GAA. A stranger watching RTE would be forgiven for thinking Ireland was not an EU member so scant is the coverage of EU matters.
@Paul: Anti-EU sediment? Oh dear. Is it blocking up the rivers of continental Europe? Perhaps they need to be dredged?
Also I assume you meant to use the word “more” instead of “of” in your second sentence. It is the only way the sentence makes sense grammatically, regardless of whether we are talking about sediment or sentiment.
@Paul: There’s sediment in the bottom of my wine glass. Is it the EU’s fault?
We are trying to pull away from England for 800 years why in the world would we want to leave to suit them or anyone else for that matter . I am just hoping they will give back the 6 counties they stole .
@Donal Carey: You do not speak for all of us.
@Adam Reid: just 90%
@Donal Cary it wasn’t technically ‘anyones’
@Adam Reid: The people both north and south have answered that .
So a poll carried out by the European Union comes out in the European Union’s favour. You couldn’t make it up!
The EEC was a good and noble idea but the bureaucratic beast that it has morphed into is heading towards destruction……. slowly but surely. More and more people are coming out against closer EU integration and do not want any further expansion of the EU. This is in stark contrast to what pushed by Europhiles.
Also, notice the Orwellian use of language as a weapon the EU is not Europe. Many commentators are falling into the trap of thinking the words are interchangeable. ‘A 08 style financial crisis is coming at some point. An already Shakey EU support is going to be pushed to its limits.
That’s the negative part. On a positive note, there is serious scope for reform the European Union into something great. Something where national democracy and sovereignty is paramount but there is close international trade and general cooperation.
A more important question, how would one even pronounce ‘Irexit’??
@J.D. Finnerty: Erects it.
@J.D. Finnerty: “saoirse”
@J.D. Finnerty: our exit! Load of crap!
Ireland needs to be in the EU. Our economy is based entirely on being in the single market.
Even a lot of third world countries have natural resources, we have nothing
I’m glad 90% of the nation is sensible, thankfully the blind nationalistic idiocy that’s swept our esteemed neighbours hasn’t taken over here
@Fred Croydon: Aul lads in their 50s and 60s?…….bleedin ancient so they are!
@Fred Croydon: Youve just describes FFG voters
@Fred Croydon: or it could be grouchy, young females in their twenties and thirties who like to be contrarian.
@Fred Croydon: Well there was all those mogues who showed up at the RDS the other day. I have to say – I couldn’t get my chin off the floor. It was like a watching a room full off people who want to me on one of those “make over” shows or a Jeremy Kyle guest reunion.
It beggars belief that anyone in this country would listen to that muppet’s bombastic rabble rousing waffle. The hypocrite is still quite content to get pad handsomely by the EU though. Can’t he just please go away.
@Shelly Levine: Nigel Farage and Ukip has the backing of wealthy businessmen from South Africa.
Ireland is very very close to Britain, in every way. So if England leaves the EU, it stands to reason this country will not be far behind. Expect a referendum within 10 years, and a second referendum to change the first rejection. LOL
@hallelujah: hallelujah!!
I know our own TDs probably wouldn’t be any better, but all the good the EU promise and gave has come at a huge cost and debt. If it were all that good then why don’t these live by what they want us to.
Leaving yes would be , but would it not be better to make a new union addressing all the concerns most of Europe has.
@: Incomprehensible gibberish.
@: Ah look. The anonymous phantom with no pseudonym strikes again. Still unable to spell or string together a structured sentence. Maybe I misunderstand him. Maybe he’s like a real stable genius, or something.
The brexiters need this, it’s the only way they can solve their northern border problem.
They should have thought about it before the referendum, but thinking isn’t the brexiter’s forte
@Chucky Arlaw: they don’t need it, if the Irish Government had a back bone regardless of Brexit deals they would stand up to Europe on the border.
@Paul: ‘stand up to the EU on the border’
What does that even mean???
@Chucky Arlaw: its means no borders means no borders. Plan and simple.
@Chucky Arlaw: It means we still have a veto and that is the bottom line. We dont like how it goes for us, we do not have to agree, and we can veto.
@mary conneely: When is the last time we used a veto?
@Paul: You mean that if the Irish Government had a back bone they would collude with a foreign government to ignore international law and undermine our own agriculture, software and service industries.
Sure thing Paul.
Don’t Bogart that joint my friend…
We’d be a basket case without the EU simply because our gov is horrendously poor. We actually are a basket case in things that don’t concern the EU like homelessness and public services.
I think politics has changed in such a way that we need to move away from electing the local incompetent idiot (which is what FF and FG are mostly) thinking he’ll do us a favour sometime, to electing people who have the qualifications and management skills that make them capable of running the country.
@Adrian: Are you Paul. Neither of you can spell and you’re peddling the same drivel.
Could you not just post as yourself and stop with the Walter Mitty stuff?
- “He also claimed that the leaders of the European Union want to abolish individual nation states.”
Farage might actually believe this if he’s been continually skiving off EU parliament attendance. But he probably knows damn well this is only the opinion of a handful of EU politicians. Who are not the leaders of the European Union. In the end, that’s the leaders of the member states. And said idea is not popular with these govt leaders, less so with their electorates. So it’s not going to happen Nige.
Majority of people have no idea what is best,
@Tomas: yeah, they need you to tell them
@Tomas: Is that you Paul/Adrian? How do you keep track of this?
What if one of your personalities doesn’t buy his round? Do the other two have a chat with him?
Leave the EU and join Captain Johnson on the bridge of HMS Delusion sailing off to form Empire II…? Yeah right…give the lads in Vanuatu our best when you sign ‘your ambitious trade deal’. Ireland can never get enough of those tariff-free ceremonial spears.
@John Sullivan: Alternatively join Sir Bob on a punt on the Thames with a loudspeaker.
People are looking at the mess GB are in and saying no thanks
Yea for Lisbon ya for jobs…. Oh right look how well that turned out
Brussels runs Dublin
Not surprising. The alt right fanbois here will try and spin this one.
Every week you guys are making this news … it got really boring now …
There is a lot wrong with the EU, eg the treatment of Greece. I think many of us would oppose PESCO. But where is the exit and where does it lead too. Some talk of Left exit. Stage Left, in someone’s imagination. Foolish dream of an alliance with teh BRICs. For me the alternative is an EU wide movement to advocate for an internal Marshall type package ofr poor countries, regions and communities. This could be financed with the current QE programme. And indeed saving money on useless military expenditure.
Ireland would be insane to leave the EU. It cannot and has never governed itself. Somebody needs to do the job. Long live the EU Protectorate!
Sad wannabe West Brits desperate to return to Britannia’s teat.
That’s a very high amount of idiots
@Senan Hogan O’Brien: Worryingly so. Did you see the cut of them at the RDS?
MyJaziz. Can you imagine your daughter bringing one of them lads with the red caps on in the front door? I mean WTF.
@Danny Rafferty: lots of smart young people there, a pleasure to see this. It’s just about education now, people don’t understand, it’s time to leave, But they will. We just have to be patient!!!
@Andrea Byrne: I think you must be A patient. Smart? They didn’t come over as smart.
You’re right about one thing though, it’s about education. A significant number of people following this ludicrous effluent can’t spell, articulate a sentence logically or assess what is being discussed and consistently embarrass themselves by making small-minded, ill-advised comments and become emotional about issues they simply don’t have a notion about.
They are walking examples of how our education system is letting us down here. All those religious classes should be ditched in favour of philosophy and civics. Then we might have some well rounded individuals you can actually contribute properly instead of posting childish, anonymous, vaguely racist comments on social media sites.
This desire for Brussels to run Ireland is something that baffles me, baring in mind the opposition to Britain attempting this over the long period that it did!
Ireland has recovered fully from the recession in 2008 and the Celtic tiger economy is starting to return which means Ireland can control itself and as a Irishman born and bred in Ireland,I am proud of that but Ireland shouldn’t leave the EU as then we Irishmen will lose some benefits of being in the EU like using the Euro Currency.Also Mr.Varadkar and Mr.Higgins think before your next move.
Ireland has recovered fully from the recession in 2008 and the Celtic tiger economy is starting to return which means Ireland can control itself and as a Irishman born and reared in Ireland,I am proud of that but Ireland shouldn’t leave the EU as then we Irishmen will lose some benefits of being in the EU like using the Euro Currency.Also Mr.Varadkar and Mr.Higgins think before your next move.
It doesn’t rhyme very well so no.
Question, If working class people in Ireland are closing the gap in terms of wealth with the middle class business men, politicians media, etc. why isn’t everyone leaving for Ireland?
Answer, They’re not but too many people don’t follow politics and don’t realise what’s happening around them!
“Irexit”? Somebody should be fookin’ shot for coining that.
What is the point in this post. It as useless as a poll of who thinks the earth is Flat
Interesting view from across the water. http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2016/07/04/brexiteers-on-the-left-are-following-a-yellow-brick-road-destined-for-disappointment/
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