People in Ireland are more positive about immigration from other EU member states and Ukraine than about those who arrive from elsewhere.
An ESRI report found attitudes towards refugees and immigration remain largely positive but some attitudes became less positive in the last six months of 2023.
The research also found that people in Ireland are more supportive of helping Ukrainian refugees (87%) than asylum seekers (76%).
People are also more comfortable with having European migrants in their everyday lives, somewhat less comfortable with Ukrainian refugees and least comfortable with asylum seekers.
Potential costs
While the research showed high support for helping refugees, a survey experiment suggested this support may be conditional on the potential costs of providing that support - such as pressure on services or increased taxes.
Education and perceived financial strain are also seen as influencing attitudes and how comfortable people feel with different migrant groups.
The ESRI said people with lower qualifications and those who find 'making ends meet' more difficult are less positive about immigration and immigrants.
People concerned about access to housing and services are also somewhat less positive towards immigration than those concerned about racism, climate change or poverty.
A top issue
There has also been an increase in the proportion of people who feel immigration is one of the top two issues facing Ireland today.
Between July 2022 and June 2023, the proportion who considered the issue as one of the top two rose from 3% to 14%.
The only other time the level was this high was November 2007 just before the recession.
"Part of this appears to be a return to pre-pandemic levels of immigration salience, which had dropped precipitously around the onset of the pandemic," the ESRI said.
Other top issues were seen as housing, inflation and health.
The study examined attitudes towards immigration over the past 20 years in a comparative perspective and used a large representative survey of 3,008 adults last year.
'Supportive of immigration'
Report author Dr James Laurence said attitudes are likely influenced by people's economic conditions.
"Despite concerns regarding an escalation of anti-immigration activities, evidence suggests that most people in Ireland are supportive of immigration and are comfortable with different immigrant groups," he said.
"The findings indicate that broader policy concerns among people can spill over to shape people’s concerns about immigration.
"Attitudes are likely influenced by people's social and economic conditions, such as whether they are having difficulties making ends meet," he added.
Despite very recent declines in support for immigration, the ESRI said Ireland had some of the "most positive attitudes towards immigration" of all 27 EU countries.
The country ranks fourth most supportive of immigration among the EU27 and the UK.
