Irish are Tolerant

Here is a part of a recent article in the Irish Times.  Slainte![1]

Irish among most tolerant in Europe, claims EU-wide survey[2]

Irish people more tolerant of those who are LGBT or from different ethnic backgrounds

Thu, Oct 1, 2015, 17:49

Ronan McGreevy

Levels of tolerance are similar in Ireland to the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark, the most tolerant countries in the EU. Photograph: Getty Images

Irish people are some of the most tolerant in the EU and are becoming more tolerant year by year, a Europe-wide survey has found.

The Irish are now approaching Scandinavian levels of tolerance in relation to people from 

different ethnic backgrounds and those who are gay.

Levels of tolerance are similar in Ireland to the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark, the most tolerant countries in the EU.

The survey was carried out in June after Ireland’s marriage equality referendum. It found that some 87 per cent of Irish people agree that gay, lesbian and bisexual people should have the same rights as heterosexual people. The EU average is 71 per cent.

Similarly, 82 per cent of Irish people agree that there is nothing wrong in a sexual relationship between two persons of the same sex compared to an EU average of 67 per cent.

Some 80 per cent agree that same sex marriages should be allowed throughout Europe (the EU average is 61 per cent). This is up 39 percentage points on a September 2006 survey.

When it comes to attitudes towards ethnic minorities, Irish people are more open than the EU average. A total of 78 per cent of Irish people are at ease with the idea of their son or daughter having a relationship with a black person, above the EU average of 64 per cent.

The figures are 79 per cent for Asian people (EU average is 69 per cent) and 59 per cent of Irish people are at ease with the idea of their son or daughter having a relationship with a person from the Roma community, above the EU average of 45 per cent.

Most Irish people polled are open to a woman or an older, younger, ethnic minority or gay person in the highest political office in the land, though the questionnaire did not specify whether the office in question is that of the Taoiseach or President.

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[1] http://www.irishcentral.com/opinion/niallodowd/slainte-and-what-the-irish-words-means-on-stpatricks-day-118163119-238075881

[2] http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/irish-among-most-tolerant-in-europe-claims-eu-wide-survey-1.2374814