THE IRISH ARE more than happy to remain a part of the European Union for the foreseeable future, irrespective of whether or not the UK votes to leave in its promised referendum.

That’s the major finding of a new Red C poll which interviewed 1,000 Irish people on the issue.

In short, the poll’s findings are:

• 86% of Irish people (and 95% of farmers) want Ireland to remain in the EU
• 84% of people believe Ireland has benefitted from EU membership
• 77% want Ireland to remain in the Union regardless of whether or not the UK votes to leave

EMI EMI

Other findings include an enthusiasm for a specific EU-US trade deal, while 69% of those polled were in favour of the controversial TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) agreement which is in the works.

Just 33% of Irish people think that there should be an EU army.

The poll has been commissioned by not-for-profit organisation European Movement Ireland (EMI).

EMI EMI

Speaking with regard to the poll’s findings, Noelle O’Connell of EMI said that the situation in the UK “is of huge concern”.

“In the last two years a growing number of Irish people believe that even if our nearest neighbours leave, that we should remain in the EU,” said O’Connell.

Irish people also overwhelmingly believe that Ireland has benefited from EU membership.

The notion of a British exit from the EU, or Brexit, has been postulated for some time now. Ireland and the UK both joined the then European Economic Community (EEC) on the same day in 1973.

One of the key campaign promises by UK prime minister David Cameron before his landslide victory in the recent election was a vow to hold a public referendum on the topic should his Conservative party emerge victorious.

Speaking previously to TheJournal.ie on the subject, professor of finance at Trinity College Brian Lucey was very dismissive of the chances of a Brexit happening.

“Look, a lot of misguided British people may want to leave Europe, but plenty of sensible British people don’t, common sense will most likely prevail,” he said.

Leaving would be absolute imbecility on their part.

A recent study by UK think tank OpenEurope.org found that, economically at least, a UK exit from the EU would be a disaster for Ireland.

The same site also hosts a running poll on whether or not the UK should leave – the good news for us is that it still leans heavily towards the UK staying put.

Open Europe Open Europe

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