Amnesty International – RED Express

1. Amnesty International – RED Express August 2011 Job No: 28611

2. 1,011 interviews were conducted by phone using a random digit dial sample to ensure all households, including ex-directory, are covered. Half of the respondents were reached using a RDD (random digit dial) landline sample with the other half using an RDD mobile phone sample. This ensures we reach 98% of the population including mobile only households, landline only households and dual phone households.  Quotas were set and final data weighted to known profiles on age, gender, class region and phone type to ensure that the sample is representative of the total Irish population aged 18+. Fieldwork conducted between July 25th – 27th 2011. Sample profile as follows: Throughout the presentation we have used the following notations: Higher than average Lower than average RED Express - Methodology Gender Age Social Class Male 49% Female 51% 18-24 12% 25-34 23% 35-44 20% 45-54 17% 55-64 13% 65+ 15% ABC1 41% C2DE 51% F 8%

3. Importance Of Children Groups That Should Be Prioritised By The Government (Base: Adults 18+ - 1,011) Children who have been abused by members of the clergy % Children who have been abused by their families % Children who experience mental health problems % Children in the mainstream education system % Children who are here to seek asylum % Children whose families are poor % Children who commit crime % Children in the traveller community % 8-10 4-7 1-3 Mean Score 8.98 8.91 8.72 8.25 8.17 7.70 7.46 6.88 It is felt that children who have been abused by member of the clergy should be prioritised by the government followed by children who have been abused by their families. (Q 1)

4. Importance Of Children Groups That Should Be Prioritised By The Government X Demographics (Base: All Adults 18+ - 1,011) When looking at the demographics of respondents, it is clear that females are more sympathetic to the childrens’ groups along with those aged 45 years of age and older. (Q 1)

5. Importance Of Children Groups That Should Be Prioritised By The Government X Demographics (Base: All Adults 18+ - 1,011) Those in the lower social class appear to be feel that the childrens’ groups should be a higher priority than those in the higher social classes. (Q 1)

6. Statements About Commission Of Inquiry Into Child Abuse (Base: All Adults 18+ - 1,011) It made me angry at those who abused these children % It made me angry that wider society didn’t do more % I find the subject overwhelming and don’t know what to think % I find the subject too upsetting to engage with % I don’t know what the report says % I talked with my friends or family about it % It made me angry at the state % It made me feel helpless % Strongly Agree(5) Slightly Agree(4) Neither (3) 6 9 9 16 19 19 22 19 Slightly Disagree(2) Strongly Disagree(1) Mean Score 4.66 4.45 4.44 3.78 3.71 3.45 2.92 2.88 It is clear that there was a lot of anger felt towards a lot of people following the Ryan Report – those who abused the children, wider society and the state. (Q 2)

7. Statements About Commission Of Inquiry Into Child Abuse X Demographics (Base: All Adults 18+ - 1,011) Females and those aged over 45 years of age are more likely to agree with the statements in comparison to males and those under 45. (Q 2)

8. Statements About Commission Of Inquiry Into Child Abuse X Demographics (Base: All Adults 18+ - 1,011) Those in the lower social classes found the reports more overwhelming and upsetting than those in the higher social classes. (Q 2)

9. Statements About Ferns, Murphy And Cloyne Report (Base: All Adults 18+ - 1,011) Wider society would prefer to turn a blind eye to child abuse % Wider society is prejudiced against children in the care of the state today % Wider society is prejudiced against people who were in industrial schools % Individual members of society should have demanded that the state act to prevent child abuse % Individual members of Irish society should have done more to protect these children % Members of society were powerless to protect these children % Government acts when society demands that it act % Strongly Agree(5) Slightly Agree(4) Neither (3) 6 9 9 23 25 16 16 Slightly Disagree(2) Strongly Disagree(1) Mean Score 4.59 4.49 3.92 3.47 3.42 3.31 2.83 It is felt that individual members rather than the wider society should be held accountable for the child abuse that occurred and how it should have been prevented. (Q 3)

10. Statements About Ferns, Murphy And Cloyne Report X Demographics (Base: All Adults 18+ - 1,011) (Q 3) Those in the older age groups are most likely to agree with these statements

11. Statements About Ferns, Murphy And Cloyne Report X Demographics (Base: All Adults 18+ - 1,011) (Q 3) Those in the higher social classes appear to be less in favour with the statements along with those from Dublin.

12. Rating Of Statements In Relation To Childs Rights And The Recent Published Reports In Ireland Noting that the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that all people “should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”, ordinary people in Ireland should accept some responsibility for respecting and defending the human rights of other people in Ireland % (Base: All Adults 18+ - 1,011) It is important that children have their opinions taken into account in significant decisions that affect them % Wider Irish society bears some responsibility for what has been revealed in the Ryan, Ferns, Murphy and Cloyne reports % Children are trustworthy when voicing their opinions on decisions that affect them % Strongly Agree(5) Slightly Agree(4) Neither (3) 10 12 19 27 Slightly Disagree(2) Strongly Disagree(1) Mean Score 4.46 4.34 4.14 4.00 Nearly 9 in 10 agree that children should have their opinions taken into account with decisions that are affecting them . (Q 4)

13. Rating Of Statements In Relation To Childs Rights And The Recent Published Reports In Ireland X Demographics (Base: All Adults 18+ - 1,011) (Q 4) Similar to the other statements, it is evident that the older age groups feel more in favour with the statements.

14. Rating Of Statements In Relation To Childs Rights And The Recent Published Reports In Ireland X Demographics (Base: All Adults 18+ - 1,011) The higher social classes feel that ordinary people should accept responsibility while the lower social classes are less in favour. (Q 4)

15. Insights and Recommendations Insights Recommendations It is felt that children who have been abused by member of the clergy should be prioritised by the government followed by children who have been abused by their families. There is an opportunity to lobby the government to assign more funds to children that have been abused in order to help in their recuperation . With such a level of anger towards those who abused children, wider society and the state it is clear that there would be support if those responsible were brought to justice in relation to the Ryan Report. There is also an element of finding the Report too difficult to discuss. It is clear that there is a lot of anger felt towards a lot of people following the Ryan Report – those who abused the children, wider society and the state. Nearly 9 in 10 agree that children should have their opinions taken into account with decisions that are affecting them . In instances where a child’s life is going to be altered significantly, it is clear that it is felt that they should be given the chance to have their thoughts heard about the decisions that will affect them .