Almost 75% of Irish say EU should be less reliant on US

Nearly three quarters of Irish people believe the EU should seek greater independence from the United States, an island-wide poll on attitudes to the European Union has suggested.

With just weeks to go before Ireland assumes the EU presidency, support for the European Union remains high at 82%, although down from the peak of 93% in 2019 during the Brexit negotiations.

The poll was conducted in the north and south simultaneously towards the end of March by Amárach Research on behalf of European Movement Ireland, based on a representative sample of 1,200 adults in both jurisdictions.

The poll shows that at 82%, Irish people maintain a high level of support for the European Union, but the survey also reflects greater unease about the EU's performance in light of upheavals in geopolitics.

The numbers who say the EU is headed in the right direction has fallen from 58% in 2023 to 45% this year, with migration, economic and regulatory issues, federalism and national sovereignty among the top concerns.

Roughly a third of those expressing concerns cited the EU’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to the Middle East conflict.

Those who believe the EU is moving in the right direction focus on unity and cooperation, economic benefits, as well as stability and security.

Tellingly, 71% of respondents believe the EU should seek greater independence from the United States.

The top five concerns when it comes to EU policies are the cost of living at 58%, migration at 48%, housing at 41%, energy and defence and security, both at 36%.

In the south, support for EU enlargement has fallen from 56% last year to 51%.

There is a clear plurality of voters - 48% - who want Ireland to play a deeper role in the EU’s security and defence policies, with 32% opposed and 20% unsure.

Some 73% of voters in Northern Ireland would support a return to the European Union, and the same number want representation at EU level for the North given that EU single market rules largely still apply.

The chief executive of European Movement Ireland (EMI) David Geary said: "While there are deep and enduring economic and cultural Ireland-US ties, many Irish people recognise the EU's need for greater strategic independence in a changing geopolitical context.

"With preparations under way for the EU Presidency, Ireland can play an important role as a bridge between the US and the EU. The EU’s capacity to act independently across defence, trade and foreign policy will likely form part of the agenda."

Trade remains the EU’s strongest-performing area, with 39% of respondents rating it positively in 2026, followed by the economy 21%.

However, this marks a decline in polling from 2024, with citizens across Ireland rating the EU’s trade performance then at 46%.

Mr Geary said: "While the EU’s trade performance continues to poll well, efforts to diversify its trade links and reduce reliance on the US may bring future economic and political trade-offs, as reflected in recent debates on the Mercosur Trade Deal."