A large majority of people in Ireland remain deeply worried about the cost-of-living crisis, with confidence in the Government’s response and broader social equality showing signs of erosion, according to a new survey by Ipsos B&A for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC).
The poll of 1,243 adults found that 84 percent are concerned about rising household costs, while fewer than one in seven respondents believe the Government is doing enough to tackle the issue. Almost half said they feared being unable to meet essential expenses in the year ahead, underscoring the pressures faced by many households.
The findings also point to a wider sense of inequality. Just 13 percent of respondents felt Ireland’s wealth is fairly distributed, while nearly three-quarters said it is not. IHREC said the figures illustrate how economic disparities have “eroded trust” in institutions and political leadership.
Despite these concerns, support for the principle of equal treatment remains high. Eight in ten respondents agreed that everyone should be treated equally regardless of “who they are or where they come from.” However, that figure has gradually declined—from 85 percent in 2023 and 84 percent in 2024—to 80 percent this year. IHREC described the downward trend as “a clear cause for concern,” even though overall support remains strong.
When asked about efforts to combat discrimination in Ireland, only four in ten respondents said they believed such measures were effective, which IHREC said reflects “a crisis of confidence” in the state’s capacity to address inequality and exclusion.
The survey also highlights rising experiences of racism and discrimination. Fourteen percent of respondents reported experiencing racism in the past year, up from 10 percent in 2024. Among non-white Irish people, the figure was dramatically higher at 66 percent, with two in three saying they encountered racism in the past 12 months. Disabled people also reported increased levels of discrimination, with 16 percent saying they had experienced it, up six points from the previous year. Among 18 to 24-year-olds, 37 percent said they had witnessed disability-based discrimination.
IHREC chief commissioner Liam Herrick described the results as revealing “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. “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.”
Herrick urged political leaders to take action, stressing that inequality and discrimination are not inevitable. “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 said.
