More than one-third of Irish taxpayers would accept lower quality public services in exchange for reduced taxes, according to a new EU-wide survey on public attitudes to taxation.
The European Commission’s Eurobarometer poll of over 1,000 Irish respondents found 35% favour lower taxes even if it means fewer or poorer public services, while 34% support higher taxes for better services. A further 25% want both taxes and services to remain unchanged.
When asked which taxes should be cut first, 67% of Irish people prioritized wage taxes, followed by housing taxes at 24%. Notably, only 17% supported VAT reductions – the second-lowest rate in the EU – despite ongoing tourism industry campaigns to reduce sector VAT from 13.5% to 9%.
For tax increases to fund public services, 49% of Irish taxpayers favored higher taxes on tobacco and alcohol, followed by investment income taxes (33%) and business taxes (26%).
The survey revealed strong support for wealth-based measures, with 67% backing minimum taxes on the wealthy based on wealth rather than just income, and 77% supporting minimum tax requirements for multinational companies operating in Ireland.
Environmental taxation received mixed reactions – 62% supported using taxes to discourage environmentally harmful consumption, but 39% opposed increasing aviation taxes to match other transport modes.
Most Irish respondents (76%) believe people pay taxes proportionate to their income and wealth.