88% of Irish people think Covid-19 restrictions were justified - survey

A sign for a stop/go system observing social distancing on a walkway and cycleway at Midleton, Co Cork. Picture: Denis Minihane

In Ireland, 88% of people think the restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19 were justified, compared to the EU average of 73%, a study has shown.

The annual Eurobarometer survey, carried out by the European Commission, looks at citizens' attitudes and trust in the EU as well as people's sentiments towards the economy in the wake of the pandemic.

It found that 44% of people in Ireland are confident the economy will recover from the crisis - the second-highest percentage in the EU.

And while 88% were happy with how the government handled restrictions during the pandemic, significantly less at 56% are satisfied with how the EU handled the crisis overall.

However, 70% trusted the EU to make the right decisions in the future.

The survey also found that 74% of people in Ireland want to, or have already received, an authorized Covid vaccine as soon as possible while a further 12% say they want to receive one by the end of this year.

Only 4% of Irish people say they never intend to receive a vaccine, among the lowest proportion in the EU.