VOTERS ARE sharply divided on the Government’s decision to impose a levy on public sector workers, with 47 per cent saying it was wrong and 41 per cent agreeing it was right, according to the latest Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll.
There is a similar split in opinion on whether Taoiseach Brian Cowen was right or wrong to proceed without the agreement of the social partners, with 41 per cent saying he was right and 49 per cent wrong.
A majority of voters also believe that the Government should have closed Anglo Irish Bank rather than nationalised it. Fianna Fáil voters are almost evenly divided on the issue but supporters of all other parties strongly believe the bank should have been closed down.
The poll was conducted last Monday and Tuesday among a representative sample of 1,000 voters in face-to-face interviews at 100 sampling points in all 43 constituencies. The margin of error is 3 per cent.
When asked if the public or private sectors were taking more pain, or whether it was being shared equally, 39 per cent opted for the private sector, 29 per cent said the public sector and 24 per cent said the pain was being shared equally.
Women are much more inclined than men to believe the public sector is taking more pain while younger voters take a similar attitude.
Asked about the Government’s plan to save €2 billion in public spending this year, 38 per cent think it is too tough, 31 per cent believe it is about right and 20 per cent think it is not tough enough.
Working-class voters are much more inclined to describe the measure as too tough while the better off are more inclined to say it is not tough enough. Fianna Fáil voters are most supportive with 46 per cent saying it was about right but 42 per cent of Green Party voters say it is too tough.
Labour voters take a similar view to Green Party supporters while Fine Gael voters are the closest to Fianna Fáil in their view of the measure.
On the Taoiseach’s decision to proceed with a €2 billion cost-cutting plan without the consent of the social partners, only Fianna Fáil supporters thought he was right. There is also a clear divide between the supporters of the two Government parties on the pensions levy, with Fianna Fáil voters in favour by 54 per cent to 37 per cent and Green voters opposed by 54 per cent to 35 per cent. Fine Gael voters are more supportive of the levy than any other party, apart from Fianna Fáil.
Women are much more inclined than men to oppose the €2 billion cost-saving plan, the pensions levy and the Government’s decision to proceed without the consent of the social partners. In class terms the strongest support for the Government’s position comes from the better-off AB voters, a clear majority of whom back the pensions levy and the decision to proceed without the social partners. The strongest opposition to both comes from the least well off DE category.
Property tax emerges as the most favoured option to increase the tax take, followed by increases in income tax and a carbon levy.
