Majority not happy with economic climate - report

The majority of Irish people are not happy with the current economic and political climate in Ireland, according to a report …

The majority of Irish people are not happy with the current economic and political climate in Ireland, according to a report published today.

The "Irish Lifestyles - The Cost of being Irish" report by research specialist Mintel Ireland, found that only 11.1 per cent of respondents in the Republic and 8.4 per cent of those in the North were happy with the economy.

The report is based on a survey of 1,203 adults in the Republic and 1,022 adults in Northern Ireland in August and September 2004.

Almost twice as many people in the Republic said they were forced to stick to a strict financial budget compared with those in the North. Those living in Dublin experienced the highest cost of living. More than a quarter of those surveyed in the Republic said the cost of a weekly shop stretched them to their limit.

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Despite having to stick to a budget, 37.5 per cent of people under 25 in the Republic intend to save or invest this year compared to 25.7 per cent of the under-25s in the North.

A greater improvement in lifestyle was reported in Northern Ireland with 34.7 per cent of those surveyed saying their lifestyle was better than it was three years ago compared with 31.2 per cent of those in the Republic.

Married men on both sides of the border saw the greatest improvement to their lifestyle, while those in Munster aged between 25 and 34 were most likely to have seen the biggest jump in quality of life. Single women saw the least improvement in lifestyle.

Workers in the North feel they have greater job security than their southern counterparts, although those in the south believe the Republic offers better job opportunities than Northern Ireland.

The survey also found that only a quarter of Protestants in Northern Ireland would welcome a return to devolved government compared to 43.8 per cent of Catholics.

"Catholics are also more likely to want the euro introduced in Northern Ireland," according to the author of the report Mr Robert Pasley.

A fifth of respondents in the Republic and a quarter of those surveyed in the North said they did not have enough time to spend with family or on leisure activities.

With less time for leisure, people on both sides of the border are becoming more selective and sophisticated about what activities they do pursue, according to the report.

Attendance at sporting events is on the increase with rugby, GAA and soccer all experiencing greater attendance at regional and national level. Swimming is the most popular leisure activity on both sides of the border while walking has also increased in popularity, especially among middle-aged adults.