Irish people remain more enthusiastic about EU membership than other Europeans but show below-average support for a common foreign and defence policy, according to the latest Eurobarometer opinion poll.
The poll, which was conducted in April and May, shows Irish confidence in EU institutions falling slightly but support for the euro and EU enlargement increasing.
Seventy-two per cent of Irish people believe EU membership is a good thing, and 83 per cent agree it has benefited the State. These figures place Ireland at the top of the EU scale in terms of enthusiasm for Europe.
Some 61 per cent say they trust the European Commission, well above the EU average of 45 per cent. Seventy-two per cent support the euro, and 59 per cent are in favour of enlargement.
But Ireland is less enthusiastic about the EU's common foreign and security policy than most of its neighbours. Only 58 per cent favour a common foreign policy, compared to an EU average of 65 per cent, and just 53 per cent support a common defence and security policy, 20 per cent below the EU average.
Support for the EU has fallen slightly throughout the Union, with fewer than half the respondents saying EU membership has benefited them.
Support for the euro throughout the EU rose to 59 per cent from 54 per cent in a poll published last autumn. But only 43 per cent of EU citizens believe the Union should accept new members, a drop of 1 per cent.
Support for the euro is strongest in Italy, at 83 per cent, and has risen by 6 per cent in Germany to 53 per cent. Support for enlargement is strongest in Greece at 70 per cent and lowest in Austria at 33 per cent.
The EU's common defence and security policy is generally popular, with an average level in the EU of 73 per cent in favour.
The Irish element of the Eurobarometer survey was conducted by Lansdowne Research. It interviewed 970 people between April 14th and May 11th.
