Ireland bottom of ‘trust’ league

IRELAND has been placed bottom of an international league table measuring domestic trust levels in government and business ability.

The 10th annual international trust and credibility survey conducted by global public relations firm Edelman has found that the level of trust held, internally here, in the performance and ability of the Government and the corporate sector has sunk to historically low levels.

This year’s survey saw trust in business falling, among Irish people, from 38% to 31% — the international average was 50% — and trust levels in government falling from 31% to 28%, with the global average being 49%.

The authors called the feeling in Ireland “a deep institutional scepticism”.

Ireland was the only country of the 22 in the survey posting declines in trust across all categories mentioned — institutions, business, government, media and non-governmental organisations.

Edelman Ireland managing director Mark Cahalane said: “Ireland is experiencing a trust crisis, which is different to the experience in other countries. Our scepticism is deep rooted and pervasive.

“While other countries are beginning to see increasing levels of institutional trust as their economies creep out of recession, we in Ireland have lost confidence in more institutions than ever before.