Respondents were asked questions relating to five different government qualities:
Respondents were asked to rate on a 0-10 point scale from ‘0 Very unlikely’ to ’10 Very likely’ their expectations of the likelihood of behaviours of public sector employees, politicians, and public institutions in relation to the above qualities. The mean likelihood score for each scenario was calculated by adding individual scores and dividing the total by the number of individuals using weights for each individual (see Background Notes for more details). In line with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD’s) recommended groupings, responses were grouped as Unlikely (0-4), Neutral (5) or Likely (6-10).
Statistics related to the five qualities are available by gender, age group, highest level of education attained, employment status, voting status in the last election, and NUTS 2 region. Please see Data chapter.
Respondents were asked three questions relating to fairness in government and public services:
Over seven in ten respondents (71.6%) expected that their application for a government benefit or service would be treated fairly, a decrease from 2023, at 73.6%. Less than two in ten (16.9%) respondents thought it unlikely that their application would be treated fairly in 2025.
Regarding the likelihood of the Oireachtas adequately balancing the needs of different regions and groups in society in debating policy reform, the opinions of respondents were split. Just over four in ten (43.3%) respondents thought it unlikely that the Oireachtas would balance the needs of different groups in society, while 39.0% thought it likely that they would adequately balance these needs during policy reform debate. This question also had the highest proportion of neutral responses for 2025, at 16.5%.
A new question was introduced in 2025, asking respondents if public sector employees would help them correct an error, rather than penalise them, if they made an honest mistake in an application. Almost half (47.3%) of respondents thought it likely that public sector employees would help correct the error, while about four in ten (38.8%) thought it unlikely that they would help.
In 2025, a higher percentage of men were likely to expect fairness in government and public services than women. When respondents were asked if public sector employees would help them correct an error, rather than penalise them, if they made an honest mistake in an application, 54.4% of men considered it likely that public sector employees would help, compared to 40.3% of women, a 14.1 percentage point difference.
Respondents were asked four questions relating to integrity in government and public services:
In 2025, six in ten (59.1%) respondents thought it unlikely that a senior politician would refuse the prospect of a well-paid job in the private sector in exchange for a political favour. One in four (23.8%) thought it likely that they would refuse the position. These rates are similar to 2023, when 60.2% thought it unlikely that a politician would refuse the position, and 25.3% thought it likely.
Respondents were equally split on the likelihood of a public sector employee refusing money offered by a citizen or firm for speeding up access to a public service in 2025, with 41.5% of respondents considering it to be unlikely, and 40.8% considering it to be likely. In 2023, 46.5% of respondents thought it likely that a public sector employee would refuse money in this scenario.
Four in ten (41.4%) respondents thought it likely that the Oireachtas would effectively hold the national government accountable for their policies and behaviour, while 45.9% of respondents thought it unlikely in 2025. The comparable rates in 2023 were 43.7% and 44.1% respectively.
Regarding the likelihood of the national government agreeing to a corporation’s demand to promote a policy that was beneficial to industry, but not society as a whole, half (52.0%) of respondents considered it likely while three in ten (28.8%) considered it unlikely. In 2023, 54.3% thought it likely that the national government would agree to a corporation’s demands.
Approximately four in ten of all age groups perceived it likely that a public sector employee would refuse money if offered by a citizen or firm for speeding up access to a public service. See table 4.4. In 2025, two thirds (65.3%) of those aged 18-29 years considered it likely that the national government would agree to a corporation’s demand to implement a policy that benefited its industry but could be harmful to society as a whole, compared to four in ten (40.8%) of those aged 50 years and over.
Respondents were asked five questions relating to openness in government and public services:
In 2025, over four in ten (44.3%) respondents thought it likely that they would have an opportunity to voice their views if a decision affecting their local community was to be made by the local government. A similar percentage (42.1%) of respondents thought it unlikely.
Regarding availability of information on administrative procedures, such as obtaining a passport or applying for benefits, 84.8% of respondents considered it likely that the information would be easily available in 2025. Less than one in ten (8.4%) of respondents thought it unlikely. The figures for 2023 were 83.7% and 9.9% respectively.
Over half (51.6%) of respondents thought it likely that the national government would clearly explain how people would be affected by a reform in 2025, while one in three (33.0%) thought it unlikely. In 2023, 54.0% of respondents thought the explanation of reform was likely, while 30.5% thought it unlikely.
One in three (33.5%) respondents considered it likely that the national government would adopt opinions gathered in a public consultation, while under half (46.0%) thought it unlikely. This is almost unchanged from 2023, at 33.3% and 46.4% respectively.
A new question was introduced in 2025, asking if it was likely that a member of the Oireachtas would respond in a meaningful way if you contacted them on a policy issue that was important to you. Three in ten (30.5%) respondents thought it was likely that a member would reply in a meaningful way, while more than half (53.9%) thought it unlikely.
Retired respondents were more likely to expect that government and public institutions would act with openness across the given scenarios, than those that are Employed or Unemployed, in training or other (see table 4.6). Retired respondents were almost twice as likely (46.4%) to expect that the government would adopt opinions expressed in a public consultation on reforming a major policy area, when compared to those Unemployed, in training or other, at 24.4%.
Respondents were asked four questions relating to reliability in government and public services:
Two in three (65.8%) respondents thought it likely that personal data shared with a public agency, office or department would be used for legitimate purposes only, while over one in five (22.8%) thought it unlikely in 2025. In 2023, 68.6% of respondents thought it likely that their personal data would be used legitimately, while 21.1% thought it unlikely.
Regarding government institutions readiness in a large-scale emergency, over half (53.9%) of respondents believed it likely that the government institutions would be likely to protect people’s lives in a large-scale emergency, while over one third (34.1%) of respondents thought it unlikely. In 2023, 59.7% of respondents thought it likely that government agencies would be ready to protect people’s lives in a large scale emergency.
Three in ten (30.5%) respondents believed that the national government would regulate new technologies appropriately and help businesses and citizens use them responsibly, while over half (53.2%) believed it to be unlikely. In 2023, these figures were 33.8% and 51.8%, respectively.
A new question was introduced in 2025, asking respondents if they thought it likely that the national government would provide appropriate support to affected people in the event of an economic crisis. Four in ten (39.0%) respondents thought it likely that the supports would be available, while just under half (48.1%) of respondents thought it unlikely.
Respondents were asked if they voted in the last general election. For respondents that did vote, they were then asked if they voted for a party currently in government. Over half (53.7%) of those who voted for a party in government felt that the government would provide appropriate support to affected people in the event of an economic crisis compared to one in four (26.2%) of those who voted, but not for a party in government, a 27.5% percentage point difference.
Respondents were asked five questions relating to responsiveness in government and public services:
In 2025, less than three in ten (28.2%) respondents believed it was likely that poor public service would be improved if many people complained about it, while 55.2% of respondents considered it to be unlikely. In 2023, 25.5 % of respondents thought it was likely that the services would be improved, while 59.2% thought it unlikely.
Regarding innovation in public service, six in ten (62.7%) respondents considered it unlikely that an innovative idea to improve public services would be adopted by the relevant agency, while two in ten (20.6%) thought it likely. In 2023, 64.1% of respondents thought an innovation would be unlikely to be adopted, while 19.7% considered it likely.
Four in ten (39.8%) respondents considered it likely that a national policy would be changed if over half of the people expressed a view against it in 2025, while 43.3% considered it unlikely. In 2023, one in three (33.9%) respondents considered it likely that national policy would change under this scenario.
Respondents’ opinion on the likelihood of national government making a decision by drawing on best available evidence, research, and statistical data was relatively split in 2025, with just under four in ten (39.2%) respondents considering it likely, and a similar percentage (43.0%) considering it unlikely. These figures are relatively unchanged from 2023, at 40.8% and 42.8% respectively.
A new question was introduced in 2025, asking respondents if society’s needs change, how likely do they think that public services would adapt adequately to meet these needs. Over half (55.7%) of respondents considered it unlikely that public services would adapt in this scenario, while 27.8% of respondents thought it likely.
In 2025, the percentage of respondents who felt it would be likely that government and public services would be responsive in the given scenarios were similar for respondents with differing levels of educational attainment. The largest percentage point difference was seen for the question on whether a national policy would be changed if over half the people expressed a view against it. Overall, 42.2% of those with a Higher certificate/diploma/ordinary degree or higher qualification felt it was likely, compared to 35.8% of those with a Lower than leaving certificate level of education, a 6.4 percentage point difference.
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