A new poll has found “the lowest support for EU membership since polling began” among Irish people, with concerns around migration, regulation and sovereignty cited by respondents.
The findings come from the European Movement Ireland (EMI) EU Poll 2026, released today, which reported that while overall backing for EU membership remains high, it has fallen from a peak of 93% in 2019 to 82% in Ireland.
The report noted that this figure, although unchanged from 2025, represents the lowest level recorded since the survey began in 2013.
“This research programme was built around a nationally representative sample of 1,200 respondents in both jurisdictions,” EMI said in a release about the data.
“The survey data collection was undertaken online, and the data was collected and analysed on Amárach’s VoxCo platform.
“The two surveys ran simultaneously in both locations. Fieldwork dates were 26ᵗʰ – 31st March 2026. The questionnaire was simultaneously administered in both jurisdictions.”
According to the poll, respondents who expressed dissatisfaction with the EU pointed to several key factors, including migration, cited by 31%, EU regulation at 27%, and concerns over national sovereignty at 26%.
The data also shows that less than half of respondents in Ireland, 45%, believe the EU is moving in the right direction, while 33% said the bloc is not upholding its core values.
Among those who said the EU is on the right track, the most commonly cited reasons were unity and cooperation at 33%, followed by economic benefits at 25%, and stability and security at 19%.
The poll further found that the cost of living remains the most significant issue for respondents in Ireland, at 58%, followed by migration at 48%. Housing was identified as a concern by 41% of respondents.
In Northern Ireland, support for EU membership stood at 76%, down 1% from the previous year. Migration was also identified as a key concern there, cited by 42% of respondents, though this was beaten by cost of living issues at 45%.
The survey also examined attitudes towards the EU’s global position, finding that 71% of respondents in Ireland believe the bloc should seek greater independence from the United States, with this figure rising to 79% in Northern Ireland.
On defence and security, 48% of respondents in Ireland said they support increased EU cooperation in this area, while 32% said they are opposed and 20% remain unsure. Concerns about EU militarisation have declined, with 10% expressing such concerns compared to 24% in 2025.
The poll indicates mixed views on political representation, with 35% of respondents in Ireland saying they feel their views are adequately represented at EU level, while 37% disagreed and 27% said they were unsure.
On the question of a potential referendum on a united Ireland within the EU, 59% of respondents in Ireland said they would vote in favour, with 22% opposed and 19% undecided.
In Northern Ireland, 63% said they would support such a proposal, while 29% said they would oppose it and 8% said they did not know how they would vote.
The survey also found that trust in institutions remains relatively low, with 37% of respondents in Ireland saying they do not trust governing bodies. Support for the Irish Government rose by 6% to 36%.
In Northern Ireland, the EU was identified as the most trusted institution at 28%, followed by the Irish Government at 20%. Support for the Northern Ireland Executive was recorded at 5%, its lowest level in the poll’s history.
The European Movement Ireland poll has been conducted annually since 2013 and tracks public attitudes towards the EU across a range of issues, including governance, economic conditions, and international relations.
EMI itself is an NGO whose self-stated mission is to “develop the connection between Ireland and Europe, and to achieve greater public understanding of and engagement with the European Union and with our European partners.”