REVEALED: Irish people say climate change will influence how they vote in upcoming elections

Around one-fifth of Irish people have named the climate as one of the top-three priority issues that will influence their vote in upcoming elections.

A study has revealed that Irish people remain concerned about climate change and are supportive of climate action - more so than their European counterparts.

The research results come this Monday, Earth Day. A survey conducted by Ireland Thinks and involving 1,704 people for Friends of the Earth found that 56% of people are more worried about climate change than they were two years ago.

A further 47% of people said climate change “is a big problem and we’re not doing enough to tackle it”. That includes 49% of Sinn Féin voters and 56% of Fine Gael voters.

When people were asked to name issues that would most influence their vote in the European elections on June 7, climate came third at 23%. 

Friends of the Earth chief executive, Oisín Coghlan, said: “The majority of people in Ireland remain very concerned about climate change and solidly supportive of government action to cut polluting emissions. If anything, the data shows they want the government to do more.”

There seems to be no 'significant shift' in Irish public opinion against climate action compared to that of other European countries, where there has been a withdrawal of support for the EU green deal, according to the survey.