Irish people in favour of the EU goes over 90% for the first time

A majority of 92% of Irish people think the country should remain in the European Union.

That is according to a new EM Ireland/Red C poll, which also found people split over whether Brexit makes a united Ireland more likely.

The majority of Irish people believe Brexit is a mistake - but 44% agree and 44% disagree that it makes a united Ireland more likely, with 12% saying they don't know.

Those under 35 years of age are most inclined to say that Brexit makes a united Ireland more likely, while in the over-35s category only 39% agree that it is more likely.

When asked about the UK government's red lines in the Brexit negotiations on leaving the EU Single Market and Customs Union, 73% of people in Ireland said that the UK should remain in both, rising to 83% amongst farmers.

But for the first time support for Ireland remaining in the EU has jumped to over 90%.

The annual survey of Irish attitudes to the EU also indicates growing support for Irish involvement in increased EU defence and security cooperation.

Noelle O'Connell, executive director of EM Ireland, said: "People are very clear that leaving the EU would not be in Ireland's interests.

"However, there is understandable uncertainty about what changes Brexit will bring to Ireland, the border and the Ireland-UK trade relationship in the long term."

Only 11% of respondents think that Ireland should leave the EU, given that the UK voted to leave.

This shows a steep decline from 2013, when support for Ireland leaving the EU in the event of Brexit was at 30%.

On the issue of defence and neutrality, 59% agree Ireland should be part of increased EU defence and security cooperation.

This shows an increase of 2% since April 2017, before Ireland signed up to PESCO.

The poll was conducted on the 15th to the 21st of March among a representative sample of 1,000 people aged 18 and over.