The 2020 Edelman Ireland Trust Barometer shows a trust deficit in Irish society across all major institutions. When it comes to business, the public sees competence as a given, accounting for only a quarter of its trust capital. Business is now expected to operate to another standard with ethical behaviour three times more important to company trust than competence.
Trust levels in Ireland sit close to the bottom of 26 countries surveyed, just ahead of Russia, Japan, South Africa and Spain. The majority of respondents distrust government, NGOs, the media and business; do not see their economic prospects improving over the coming years; and believe that in its current form, capitalism does more harm than good.
