The majority of people in Ireland overestimate the number of migrants living in the State, according to a new study from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
The misperception is “strongly associated with negative attitudes to immigration”, it found.
The study, which was funded by the Department of Justice and involved an anonymous survey of 1,200 adults, found that most people believe immigration is happening on a larger scale than it is.
Alongside measuring attitudes, the research asked participants to estimate key facts about immigration, such as population size and reasons for migration.
On average, participants estimated that 28 per cent of the population was born abroad, though the highest official figure is 22 per cent, the ESRI said.
Participants also estimated that 14 per cent of the population was born outside the EU, UK and North America, almost double the true figure of 8 per cent.
The survey separately gauged knowledge of employment and education levels among migrants, alongside social housing uptake and share of the prison population.
Participants underestimated education levels and employment rates of immigrants, while overestimating the likelihood that immigrants live in social housing and the proportion of those in the prison population.
On average, participants estimated that less than 20 per cent of recent non-EU migrants came for work or education, compared to the true figure of almost 50 per cent.
Participants accurately estimated that close to 28 per cent of recent non-EU migrants arrived from Ukraine, though they also estimated that a further 20 per cent arrived seeking asylum from other countries.
‘Most people in Ireland continue to hold broadly positive attitudes toward immigration’. Photograph: Joel Carillet/Getty Images
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The true figure is closer to 10 per cent, the ESRI said.
“These misperceptions matter. The study found that the people who hold more inaccurate beliefs are also significantly more likely to feel negatively about immigration and to cite it as a major national issue,” the Institute said.
“Overestimating the share of migrants seeking asylum and underestimating migration for work and education have the strongest association with negative attitudes.”
It said that while most people in Ireland continue to hold broadly positive attitudes toward immigration, the findings highlight the potential for “misperceptions to distort public debate and increase vulnerability to misinformation”.
The report also suggested that the focus on asylum seekers in public discourse and media coverage may contribute such biases.
Dr Shane Timmons, senior research officer at the ESRI and lead author of the report, said an informed debate about issues such as immigration required “shared understanding of the facts”.
“While most people do not hold negative attitudes toward immigration, those who do tend to strongly underestimate migrants’ economic contribution,” he said. “In reality, there are fewer migrants living in Ireland than people think, and far more come for work and education than people believe.”
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