End of Year SurveyHappiness and Optimism

December 2017

2

Methodology and Weighting

Sample Size and Mode of Field Work:

A total of 53,769 people were interviewed globally in 56 countries worldwide. In each country a representative sample of between 500 and 1,000 adults was interviewed either face to face, via telephone, online or through mixed methods. The fieldwork was conducted during November-December 2017.

In Ireland, RED C interviewed a representative sample of 1000 adults online throughout Ireland between 4th – 15th December 2017. The margin of error for the survey is between +/-3-5% at 95% confidence level.

COUNTRIES COVERED

EU West – Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland. Italy,

Netherland, Spain, Sweden, UK

EU East – Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Latvia, Poland, Romania,

Slovenia, Croatia

Non-EU Europe – Albania, Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina,

Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Ukraine

Latin America – Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru

East Asia – Bangladesh, Fiji, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Papua

New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Vietnam

West Asia – Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan,

Turkey

Middle East - Iraq

Africa – Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa

USA, India and Russia

3

Irish Public Are Happier Than At Any Time Since 2011

As we move into 2018 the Irish public are happier than at any time since 2011, with just 1 in 10 asked claiming they are unhappy. The results from a study completed by RED C as part of a worldwide survey conducted by WIN Network and Gallup International, show that the Irish “Net Happiness” (those happy minus those unhappy) stands at over 50%, with the biggest increases in happiness seen among more upmarket groups and those in what has been described as the squeezed middle ages of 35-44.

Optimism for the year ahead is also relatively strong with 2 in 5 believing 2018 will be better than 2017, and a similar proportion believing it will at least be the same as 2017. Just 16% think that 2018 will be worse than this year. Those in younger age groups are the most optimistic, with almost two thirds of all 25-34 year olds stating they believe 2018 will be a better year.

However, the public are far more cautious when measuring likely prosperity in 2018. despite being happy, and many thinking next year will be better as much smaller proportion feel that 2018 will be more prosperous than this year. In fact, 1 in 4 adults think that 2018 will be a year of economic difficulty when compared to 2017, perhaps cautious of what impact Brexit may have on the economy.

The Net Prosperity Index has improved somewhat since last year, but remains a long way behind that seen in 2015 when expectation were perhaps more un-realistic of the possible benefits of moving out of recession. As such this year the publics view on possible prosperity is perhaps more circumspect, having been somewhat let vs expectations in the past.

A View From Around the World

Ireland ranks 19th in terms of happiness among the countries covered in the survey, with Fiji, Columbia, Philippines and Mexico all seeing very high levels of happiness across their populations. European citizens are generally less happy than many other countries. Optimism is highest in Indonesia, Nigeria and Fiji, but Ireland is in the second quartile of countries worldwide in terms of optimism. Several other European counties citizens are pessimistic for the year ahead, with the EU countries of Greece and Italy a particular concern as citizens of both countries appear to be pessimistic about 2018 and believe that they will be less prosperous next year.

The UK population also has quite low expectations in terms of their economic prosperity in 2018, with the third lowest net prosperity index in the world among those countries covered by the survey. However this hasn’t declined substantially since last year, suggesting any impact of Brexit has been at least in line with concerns.

4

41%

37%

16%

6%

Will 2018 be better, worse or the same as 2017?

Worse

The Same

Better

D/K

63%

26%

11%

How happy do you personally feel?

63%

Happiness

Happy

Unhappy

Neither

23%

46%

25%

7%

Compared to 2017, will 2018 be a year of economic prosperity, economic difficulty

or remain the same for Ireland?

23%41%

The Same

EconomicProsperityEconomic

Difficulty

Optimism Prosperity

NET INDEX +52% +25% -2%

Net Happiness Net Optimism Net prosperity

5

Irish Happiness, Optimism and Prosperity Index over Time

524940

31

15172025

17

33

15

-3

-19

-39

-2-9

14

-4

-28

-51

-68

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

2017201620152014201320122011

Happiness Index Optimism Index Prosperity Index%

Net Irish Happiness now stands at its highest level, with more than half of

all Irish citizens happy

Irish adults are more optimistic about 2018, than they were at the

same time last year with 2 in 5 believing 2018 will be better than

2017

However 1 in 4 still believe that 2018 will be a year of economic

difficulty (perhaps with Brexit still looming large)

6

Ireland’s Happiness Over Time

The Irish public are happier than at any time since 2011, with just 1 in 10 asked claiming they are unhappy.

63615752414345

262726

27333130

11121721262625

2017201620152014201320122011

7

63%

26%

11%

How happy do you personally feel?

Current Level of Happiness

62% 64%

Gender

Social Class Region

Rest of Leinster

60%Munster

66%

Conn/ Ulster

57%

Dublin

66%

65%

66%

63%

52%

73%

57%

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

54-65

65+

Age

ABC1: 69%

C2DE: 58%

Farming Community: 63%

63%Happy

Unhappy

Neither

(-2%)

(=)

(+8%)

(-7%)

(+1%)

(+3%)

(+6%)

(+4%)

(-4%)

(-3%)

(+5%)

(=)

(-13%)

(+2%)(+1%)

() shows change vs. 2016

Almost two thirds of all Irish adults claim to be happy at the end of 2017, with the biggest increase among those in more upmarket

social groups and those in Dublin

8

How Happy is Ireland vs. the Rest of The World?

58%

58%

57%

56%

56%

55%

55%

55%

54%

54%

53%

52%

50%

50%

50%

49%

46%

45%

45%

45%

44%

44%

42%

41%

34%

33%

26%

Japan

UK

Spain

Germany

Thailand

Ghana

Russia

Sweden

Afghanistan

Serbia

Brazil

Croatia

France

Italy

South Africa

Republic of Korea

Hong Kong

Bulgaria

Czech Republic

Turkey

Latvia

Moldova

Azerbaijan

Greece

Iraq

Iran

Ukraine

94%

88%

86%

84%

78%

77%

76%

73%

73%

72%

72%

69%

68%

67%

65%

65%

65%

64%

63%

63%

62%

62%

62%

61%

61%

60%

60%

59%

Fiji

Colombia

Philippines

Mexico

Vietnam

Papua New Guinea

Kazakh- stan

India

Indonesia

Argentina

Ethiopia

Netherlands

Kosovo

Ecuador

Pakistan

Peru

Romania

USA

Ireland

Nigeria

Austria

Bangladesh

Slovenia

Armenia

Macedonia

Albania

Poland

Bosnia & Herzegovina

9

41%

37%

16%

6%

Will 2018 be better, worse or the same as 2017?

Worse

The Same

Better

D/K

41%

Optimism Towards 2018 vs. 2017 - Ireland

38% 43%

Gender

Social Class Region

Rest of Leinster

39%Munster

39%

Conn/ Ulster

34%

Dublin

48%

50%

63%

40%

33%

24%

35%

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

54-65

65+

Age

ABC1: 46%

C2DE: 36%

Farming Community: 44%

Most people in Ireland believe that 2018 will be the same or better compared to 2017, with only a

relatively small proportion fearing it will be worse

10

Optimism for the Year Ahead vs. Previous Year - Ireland

16

21

14

24

34

44

58

41

38

47

39

31

25

19

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

Optimism for Year Ahead

Worse Better

-39%

-19%

-3%

+15%

+33%

+17%

Net Optimism

Index

+25%

Optimism for the year ahead has increased vs 2016 when the fear of Brexit was more apparent.

11

NET Optimism for the Year Ahead by Country6

7%

64

%

57

%

51

%

51

%

50

%

43

%

40

%

40

%

38

%

35

%

34

%

33

%

31

%

30

%

28

%

28

%

25

%

24

%

24

%

21

%

21

%

20

%

15

%

14

%

12

%

12

%

11

%

11

%

10

%

10

%

9%

9%

8%

8%

7%

7%

6%

4%

4%

3%

3%

3%

3%

2%

2%

-3%

-4%

-5%

-8%

-8%

-18

%

-18

%

-30

%

-41

%

Ind

on

esia

Nig

eria Fiji

Ban

glad

esh

Ind

ia

Vie

tnam

Alb

ania

Ko

sovo

Ph

ilip

pin

es

Swed

en

Kaz

akh

stan

Eth

iop

ia

Iraq

Slo

ven

ia

Arg

enti

na

Mac

edo

nia

Per

u

Irel

and

Pak

ista

n

Gh

ana

USA

Mo

ldo

va

Co

lom

bia

Ecu

ado

r

Spai

n

Bra

zil

Ger

man

y

Aze

rbai

jan

Cro

atia

Ho

ng

Ko

ng

Jap

an

Au

stri

a

Thai

lan

d

Net

her

lan

ds

Ru

ssia UK

Cze

ch R

epu

blic

Afg

han

ista

n

Serb

ia

Fran

ce

Arm

enia

Ro

man

ia

Bu

lgar

ia

Latv

ia

Sou

th A

fric

a

Ukr

ain

e

Rep

ub

lic o

f K

ore

a

Turk

ey

Po

lan

d

Mex

ico

Pap

ua

New

Gu

inea

Bo

snia

& H

erz.

Iran

Gre

ece

Ital

y

NET

Op

tim

isti

cN

ET P

ess

imis

tic

Optimism is highest in Indonesia, Nigeria and Fiji, but Ireland is in the second quartile of countries worldwide in terms of optimism. Several European counties are pessimistic for the year ahead.

12

NET Optimism for the Year Ahead – Western Europe

38%

25%

14% 12% 9% 8% 7% 4%

-30%

-41%

Sweden Ireland Spain Germany Austria Netherlands UK France Greece Italy

NET

Op

tim

isti

cN

ET P

ess

imis

tic

In Western Europe only the Swedes are more optimistic than the Irish, with some sever warning signs for the EU in terms of the pessimistic outlook for the Greeks and Italians.

13

23%

46%

25%

7%

Compared to 2017, will 2018 be a year of economic prosperity, economic difficulty

or remain the same for Ireland?

Economic Outlook for 2018

23% 23%

Gender

Social Class Region

Rest of Leinster

17%Munster

24%

Conn/ Ulster

20%

Dublin

30%

31%

36%

23%

12%

17%

20%

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

54-65

65+

Age

ABC1: 28%

C2DE: 20%

Farming Community: 12%

23%

The Same

EconomicProsperityEconomic

Difficulty

From an economic point of view the Irish are more cautious, with at least 1 in 4 suggesting

that next year will be one of economic difficulty vs. 2017 – but the majority still

believe it will be the same or better

14

25

31

19

28

43

60

74

23

22

33

24

15

9

6

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

Economic Outlook for Year Ahead

Economic Difficulty Economic Prosperity

Economic Outlook for 2018 - Ireland

-68%

-51%

-28%

-4%

+14%

-9%

Net Prosperity

Index

-2%

While the net prosperity expectation index has improved in Ireland vs. last year, it is still some

way behind the expectations among the population at the end

of 2015.

15

NET Economic Prosperity vs. 2017 - Worldwide5

9%

55

%

53

%

46

%

32

%

31

%

30

%

27

%

25

%

20

%

16

%

13

%

12

%

11

%

10

%

7%

6%

6%

5%

5%

1%

0%

-2%

-2%

-3%

-4%

-4%

-4%

-5%

-6%

-7%

-8%

-8%

-8%

-9%

-11

%

-14

%

-15

%

-15

%

-16

%

-19

%

-19

%

-21

%

-21

%

-27

%

-29

%

-30

%

-35

%

-35

%

-36

%

-38

%

-38

%

-40

%

-43

%

-50

%

Nig

eria

Vie

tnam

Ind

on

esia

Ind

ia

Ph

ilip

pin

es

Alb

ania

Ban

glad

esh

Fiji

Ko

sovo

Pak

ista

n

Per

u

Iraq

Mac

edo

nia

Kaz

akh

stan

Arg

enti

na

Ecu

ado

r

Aze

rbai

jan

Gh

ana

Cze

ch R

epu

blic

Slo

ven

ia

Net

her

lan

ds

Mo

ldo

va

Irel

and

Swed

en

USA

Pap

ua

New

Gu

inea

Au

stri

a

Jap

an

Ger

man

y

Eth

iop

ia

Bra

zil

Co

lom

bia

Bu

lgar

ia

Thai

lan

d

Rep

ub

lic o

f K

ore

a

Ho

ng

Ko

ng

Arm

enia

Serb

ia

Afg

han

ista

n

Ru

ssia

Fran

ce

Spai

n

Po

lan

d

Latv

ia

Bo

snia

& H

erz.

Ro

man

ia

Cro

atia

Mex

ico

Sou

th A

fric

a

UK

Iran

Ukr

ain

e

Turk

ey

Gre

ece

Ital

y

NET

Pro

spe

rity

vs

. 20

17

NET

Dif

ficu

lty

vs. 2

01

7

People of all countries are more cautious with regard to economic prosperity, with Nigeria, Vietnam and Indonesia most optimistic – but well over half the countries surveyed have a more pessimistic outlook

for economic prosperity vs. 2017

16

NET Economic Prosperity vs. 2017 – Western Europe

-19% -21% -21%-30% -35%

France Poland Latvia Croatia South Africa

NET

Pro

spe

rity

vs

. 20

17

NET

Dif

ficu

lty

vs. 2

01

7

People in Western Europe are generally more pessimistic, with UK joining Greece and Italy is being very pessemtistic about their economic fortunes for next year vs. 2017

17

RED C Research and the WIN network

About RED C

• RED C is Ireland’s largest Independent market research and polling agency. Their polling has featured regularly in national newspapers both in Ireland and abroad. RED C is the Irish member of the global WIN network.

About the WIN Network

• WIN (Worldwide Independent Network) AND Gallup International work together as the leading international associations in market research and polling and is made up of the 80 of the largest independent market research and polling firms in their respective countries with combined revenue of over €350 million and covering 95% of the world’s market.

• For more than 60 years WIN and Gallup International Members have demonstrated their expert ability to conduct multi-country surveys on a comparable basis and deliver the highest quality. Their Members are leading national institutes with a profound local knowledge of research methods and techniques, statistical sources, customs and culture differences of its own country and carefully selected by the Association Board. With only one Member agency per country, Members work together on a daily basis to share knowledge, new research techniques and tools, as well as to provide the most appropriate solutions to international research projects and service our clients to the best of our abilities.

• The accumulated expertise of the Association is formidable - they have internationally renowned experts in public opinion, Third World issues, advertising, and media research as well as in commercial fields such as IT/telecommunications, healthcare, retail, economics, corporate research and so on. Members are at the leading edge of technical and methodological developments, which have impacted on not only the research industry but also the whole commercial world.

* Disclaimer: Gallup International Association or its members are not related to Gallup Inc., headquartered in Washington D.C which is no longer a member of Gallup International Association. Gallup International Association does not accept responsibility for opinion polling other than its own. We require that our surveys be credited fully as Gallup International (not Gallup or Gallup Poll).