On the eve of the Irish EU Presidency - A snapshot of public opinion

As Ireland takes up the EU Council presidency, our new polling reveals a Irish public mood that is more guarded and inward-looking than the presidency's outward agenda suggests. Voters are focused on the cost of living and housing, not the issues dominating the world stage. While Irish membership of the EU is settled with Trump's America pulling Ireland more firmly towards Europe, Ireland's direction in Europe is contested.

Ireland takes up the EU Council presidency keen to project a confident, values-led internationalism. But the public mood underneath is more guarded, more inward-looking and more sovereigntist than the presidency's outward agenda suggests.

Irish voters feel European and have settled the question of whether they belong in Europe – but they are far from settled on what direction Europe should take, or on how much of Ireland's own sovereignty they are willing to pool to get there.

They are sympathetic to causes abroad while holding firmly to neutrality, even as that word means quite different things to different people.

And despite an economy that leans heavily on the United States, voters are drifting away from America and towards Europe. The country's attention is on the cost of living, housing and immigration, not on the world stage.

This report sets out the national mood on the eve of the presidency, and then traces Irish attitudes across three arenas: Ireland and Europe, Ireland between America and Europe, and neutrality and Ireland's place in the world.