A majority of voters disapprove of the deal between the State and religious orders on how to pay for compensation claims in cases of institutional child abuse, the latest Irish Times/MRBI poll shows.
Some 55 per cent disapprove of the agreement under which the religious orders that ran children's institutions in the past will pay €128 million towards the cost of such claims, while the State will pay the rest.
The deal is approved of by 33 per cent, while 12 per cent have no opinion.
In another finding, a large majority believe non-national parents of children born in the State should have their claims to Irish residency decided on the basis of how much time they have spent in Ireland. This follows the recent Supreme Court decision that such parents are not automatically entitled to residency on the basis that they had a child born here.
Some 63 per cent said some of these parents should be allowed to stay in Ireland and some should be deported, depending on the amount of time these non-nationals had been in Ireland.
A further 19 per cent have the most liberal attitude - that all of those already in Ireland should be allowed to stay. Some 18 per cent took the conservative position that all those already here should be deported.
The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, is expected to bring proposals to Cabinet shortly - possibly as early as tomorrow - on how to deal with those who now find themselves without residency rights in the wake of the Supreme Court judgment.
The poll was conducted on Monday and Tuesday of last week among a national quota sample of 1,000 voters at 100 sampling points throughout all constituencies in the State.
Opposition to the controversial deal with religious orders is strongest among those aged 35 to 49. Some 60 per cent of this group disapprove of it, 28 per cent approve and 11 per cent have no opinion.
Those in every other age group, except the youngest 18 to 24 cohort, disapprove of it. Within this youngest group of voters, 42 per cent approve of the deal, 40 per cent disapprove and 18 per cent have no opinion.
A majority of supporters of all parties, except the Green Party, oppose the deal. Some 50 per cent of Green supporters approve of it, 40 per cent disapprove, while 10 per cent have no opinion.
The sample of Green Party supporters available to be analysed is low, however, giving a greater margin of error.
A larger number of young voters take the more liberal position in relation to the deportation of non-national parents of children born in Ireland.
While 19 per cent of the population in general believe all such parents already in Ireland should be allowed to stay, 26 per cent of the 18 to 24 age group believe this. Some 56 per cent in this age group believe some should be allowed stay and some deported, depending on how long they have been in Ireland. Some 18 per cent believe all should be deported.