Irish people would sacrifice environment to secure jobs

IRISH people are so worried about the economy and jobs, they are prepared to sacrifice the environment to achieve growth.

No other country in the EU, with the exception of Hungary, is as willing to sacrifice the environment in this way, according to the latest EU opinion poll.

The country has been among the worst hit by the current crisis and the public is feeling it, with the majority believing things will be even worse over the next year.

People are so fearful that Ireland and a majority in 13 other countries say that economic growth must be a priority, even if it affects the environment.

An equal number of people – roughly 48%, and mostly in the Nordic countries and Netherlands and Austria disagree and believe the environment is as important as the economy.

But perhaps because of the emphasis on the dangers of global warming in the lead-up to the Copenhagen climate talks, the number of Irish people willing to throw the environment overboard has dropped compared to six months ago.

The majority list unemployment and the economic situation as the greatest challenges facing the country and them personally, leaving worry about healthcare services in third place.

They are slightly more optimistic than they were six months ago, but a majority still feel that things are generally going in the wrong direction and that unemployment will get worse before it begins to improve.

Two thirds of those questioned over the past month say the worst is still to come – the second highest percentage in the EU with the exception of Latvia where the IMF has had to bail out the state.

Despite rising unemployment and the higher tax take in Ireland, just one in every 20 people say they have problem paying bills, fewer than the EU average.

A third say they almost never have problems paying bills, compared to 43% on average in the EU.

Irish people have very definite ideas about what the EU should do to help boost growth, with stimulating research and innovation in European industry coming first.

While Ireland has one of the lowest levels of state spending in R&D, many hope that with new Irish Commissioner Máire Geoghegan Quinn becoming responsible for Research and Innovation in the EU, it might improve matters.