These data are derived from the Flash Eurobarometer Reports No. 219 (conducted from 20/11/2007 to 24/11/2007, 1000 Irish participants), No. 290 (conducted from 08/02/2010 to 12/02/2010, 1000 Irish participants), No. 379 (conducted from 26/06/2013 to 28/06/2013, 1000 Irish participants), Special Eurobarometer No. 436 (conducted from 30/05/2015 to 08/06/2015, 1004 Irish participants) and Special Eurobarometer No. 481 (conducted from 04/12/2018 to 20/12/2018, 1001 Irish participants). The three Flash Eurobarometer surveys were conducted using ad hoc telephone interviews, whereas the Special Eurobarometer was carried out as a face-to-face survey.

These surveys were requested by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Environment. It is a general public survey co-ordinated by the Directorate-General for Communication (“Research and Speechwriting” Unit). The surveys cover the population of the respective nationalities of the European Union Member States, resident in each of the 27 Member States and Croatia and aged 15 years and over. All interviews were carried using a centralised call centre. In every country respondents were called on both fixed lines and mobile phones. The basic sample design applied in all states is multi-stage random (probability). In each household, the respondent was drawn at random following the "last birthday rule". The Special Eurobarometer was carried out as a face-to-face survey, randomly selecting addresses from each for the EUROSTAT NUTS II regions to ensure proportional coverage across regions within countries. 

Irish respondents have consistently reported that they feel we have a responsibility to look after nature (97% agree), that our well-being and quality of life is based on nature and biodiversity (94%), biodiversity is indispensable for the production of food, fuel and medicine (91%) and is essential in tackling climate change (96%). Some of the most significant changes in opinion between 2015 and 2018 are the marked inclines in the number of respondents who had heard of the term ‘biodiversity’ (up 9% since 2015) and had also heard of the Natura 2000 network (up 12.5% since 2015). 

The summary reports of the Flash Eurobarometer surveys can be found here:

https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/screen/home#p=1&instruments=SPECIAL

https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/external/special-eurobarometer-481