Irish Trust in Individuals Outranks Institutions; AI and Healthcare Trust Low

A Central Statistics Office (CSO) report, based on a nationwide survey conducted from September 29 to November 15 last year, reveals that people in Ireland trust individuals more than political parties, the civil service, or the media. Of 2,197 valid responses from 6,000 questionnaires, 78.7 per cent trusted most people, a decrease from 82.5 per cent in 2023.

Trust in the electoral system was 77.3 per cent. Trust in courts and the legal system stood at 68.2 per cent, and An Garda Síochána at 69.5 per cent, largely unchanged from 2023. Civil service trust fell from 66.5 per cent in 2023 to 64.2 per cent. National government (43.8 per cent), local government (44.2 per cent), the Oireachtas (45.9 per cent), and the media (46 per cent) had similar trust levels.

Respondents aged 50 and over showed higher trust in the national government (51.1 per cent, down from 58.3 per cent in 2023) than younger groups. Conversely, trust among those aged 18 to 29 increased from 31.4 per cent to 36.3 per cent. Younger respondents (82.8 per cent) trusted the electoral system more than older respondents (76.9 per cent). Trust in international organizations like the UN decreased from 63.7 per cent in 2023 to 57.4 per cent.

The survey also highlighted low trust in healthcare and AI. Only 37.2 per cent of men and 27.4 per cent of women were satisfied with the healthcare system. About 49.9 per cent of respondents lacked confidence in the Government’s future use of AI for tailored services, while 33 per cent were confident. However, 63.7 per cent of men and 49.1 per cent of women reported understanding AI well.