The latest in a series of Newstalk/Red C polls ahead of this month’s general election has found that 56% of adults have not felt the effects of the economic recovery personally while just 44% agree that the upturn has benefited them.
Almost four in five respondents believe that the recovery is on a two tier basis, being felt more by some and not others. However, more optimistically the majority of the population (61%) believe that economic growth is here to stay for the next five years at least.
From a budgetary point of view, 36% feel that the Government should focus expenditure on public services while 20% feel the focus should be on reducing the national debt.
33% of respondents are of the opinion that the Universal Social Charge should be abolished with only 10% believing that the focus should be on further tax cuts.
When it comes to attitudes towards tax the vast majority of the Irish public (94%) believe that businesses setting up or creating jobs in rural Ireland should be incentivised, while 83% believe that tax relief on childcare costs should be introduced in Ireland.
On central bank mortgage rules, 77% feel that these regulations need to be reviewed to make it easier to get on the property ladder or trade up. Fewer (36%) however, are in agreement with the idea that returning emigrants should receive a preferential tax rate.
Commenting on the research Richard Colwell, CEO Red C Research says "while the government keeps extolling the need to 'keep the recovery going', the reality is that well over half of the population still feel that they haven’t actually felt the impact of any recovery personally. It is no surprise then that most adults believe that any economic recovery has been on a two tier bases. This may help explain why public attitudes as to where the government should focus from a budgetary point of view are quite polarised between tax cuts and expenditure on public service and the national debt."
Speaking about the findings Newstalk’s Political Editor Shane Coleman says "while the poll does show cautious optimism about the continuance of economic growth, it's clear that a big majority of people feel the recovery has been two-tier in nature, with many of them believing they haven't benefited from it personally. It explains why the Government's 'stability v chaos' and 'keep the recovery going' messages are struggling to gain traction with voters."
Public attitudes as to where the government should focus from a budgetary point of view are quite polarised.
How does that break down?
Those in Dublin, from more professional and clerical backgrounds, and older age groups are most in favour of investment, while cuts are more favoured by those in the middle 35-54 year olds aged groups.
Only just over two in five claim that they have actually felt the impact of coming from more professional and clerical households, those in younger 18-34 year old age groups and those living in Dublin.
It is no surprise as a result that most adults (79%) believe that any economic recovery has been on a two tier bases, particularly among those living in Connaught and Ulster regions of the country.
Meanwhile, tax relief on childcare costs are also favoured by a significant proportion of all adults (83%), which rises to 87% among those with dependent children.
The majority (77%) agree that mortgage regulations need to be reviewed to make it easier to get on the property ladder or trade up. Extending social housing to 20% of all new developments should also be restored, according to three in four of all adults.
There is however much less agreement (36%) with the notion that returning emigrants might receiving a preferential tax rate.
