Ireland’s Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to 56.7 in March 2026 from 65.2 in February, marking its lowest level in three years as escalating Middle East tensions weighed on economic confidence. The decline was also the biggest monthly drop since April 2025, when US tariff concerns rattled sentiment. “The fall reflects a marked decline in consumer confidence rather than a complete collapse, given the scale of the drop is broadly similar to that seen almost a year ago”, the survey's authors said. Households are becoming more cautious, particularly in spending plans, as concerns over economic fallout and rising energy costs intensify. The reading aligns with broader euro area trends, where consumer confidence fell to its lowest since late 2023. Still, the central bank raised inflation forecasts to 2.9% for 2026 and 2.6% for 2027 due to energy pressures, while expecting only a modest slowdown in growth. The economy expanded by 4.9% in 2025, even as sentiment stayed subdued. source: Irish League of Credit Unions

Consumer Confidence in Ireland decreased to 56.70 points in March from 65.20 points in February of 2026. Consumer Confidence in Ireland averaged 83.41 points from 1996 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 130.90 points in January of 2000 and a record low of 39.60 points in July of 2008. This page provides the latest reported value for - Ireland Consumer Confidence - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Ireland Consumer Confidence - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on April of 2026.

Consumer Confidence in Ireland decreased to 56.70 points in March from 65.20 points in February of 2026. Consumer Confidence in Ireland is expected to be 64.00 points by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Ireland Consumer Confidence is projected to trend around 69.00 points in 2027 and 75.00 points in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-02-25 01:01 AM
Consumer Confidence
Feb 65.2 64.7 65
2026-03-27 12:01 AM
Consumer Confidence
Mar 56.7 65.2 64
2026-05-05 11:01 PM
Consumer Confidence
Apr 56.7 55


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Consumer Confidence 56.70 65.20 points Mar 2026
Consumer Credit 14262.00 14241.00 EUR Million Feb 2026
Consumer Spending 37778.00 37444.00 EUR Million Dec 2025
Disposable Personal Income 405066.00 386370.00 EUR Million Dec 2024
Gasoline Prices 2.08 2.04 USD/Liter Mar 2026
Households Debt to GDP 23.90 24.40 percent of GDP Sep 2025
Households Debt to Income 75.10 82.33 percent Dec 2024
Household Saving Ratio 14.70 13.20 percent Sep 2025
Private Sector Credit 175841.00 175731.00 EUR Million Feb 2026
Retail Sales MoM -0.80 1.80 percent Feb 2026
Retail Sales YoY 0.80 3.40 percent Feb 2026


Ireland Consumer Confidence
In Ireland, the Consumer Sentiment Index survey covers a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults. The questionnaire assesses respondents’ perceptions on the general economy in the previous 12 months as well as expectations for next 12 months; perceptions of recent trends in unemployment and inflation; recent trends and likely future evolution in the household’s financial situation as well as savings and major purchases intentions. The Consumer Sentiment Index is calculated as the percentage of favourable replies minus the percentage of unfavourable replies, plus 100. The indicator varies on a scale of 0 to 200; a value of 0 indicates extreme lack of confidence, 100 neutrality and 200 extreme confidence.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
56.70 65.20 130.90 39.60 1996 - 2026 points Monthly

News Stream
Irish Consumer Sentiment Hits 3-Year Low
Ireland’s Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to 56.7 in March 2026 from 65.2 in February, marking its lowest level in three years as escalating Middle East tensions weighed on economic confidence. The decline was also the biggest monthly drop since April 2025, when US tariff concerns rattled sentiment. “The fall reflects a marked decline in consumer confidence rather than a complete collapse, given the scale of the drop is broadly similar to that seen almost a year ago”, the survey's authors said. Households are becoming more cautious, particularly in spending plans, as concerns over economic fallout and rising energy costs intensify. The reading aligns with broader euro area trends, where consumer confidence fell to its lowest since late 2023. Still, the central bank raised inflation forecasts to 2.9% for 2026 and 2.6% for 2027 due to energy pressures, while expecting only a modest slowdown in growth. The economy expanded by 4.9% in 2025, even as sentiment stayed subdued.
2026-03-27
Irish Consumer Sentiment Hits 11-Month High
Ireland’s Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Index rose to 65.2 in February 2026 from 64.7 in January, extending gains for a fourth consecutive month and reaching its highest level since March 2025. Consumers’ assessment of current economic conditions edged higher, and expectations regarding unemployment also improved modestly. However, respondents turned more downbeat about their own household finances. Looking ahead, sentiment toward the year-ahead outlook was less pessimistic than in previous months. Economist Austin Hughes pointed to supportive GDP data at the end of 2025, firmer exchequer returns, and confirmation that Novo Nordisk will manufacture its weight-loss pill in Ireland for markets outside the US as positive developments. Still, Hughes cautioned that “the change was marginal and the balance of consumer thinking on the Irish economy remains strongly of the view that the Irish economy will weaken rather than strengthen in the year ahead."
2026-02-25
Irish Consumer Mood Highest in 10 Months
Ireland’s Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Index increased to 64.7 in January 2026 from 61.2 in December 2025, marking the highest reading since March 2025. It also marked the third consecutive monthly increase in consumer confidence. However, while confidence is above April’s two-year low of 58.7, the level remains well below the 74.9 recorded a year earlier and the long-term survey average of 83.5, largely due to heightened concerns over US tariffs. There were more negative than positive responses across all five survey elements, and all five were weaker than a year ago. “Irish consumers may be detecting at least tentative signs of a slowdown in living cost inflation of late,” the survey’s authors said in a statement. However, the “still downbeat tone of sentiment suggests consumers view this as some degree of easing in current pressures rather than signalling any clear gains in household spending power,” they added.
2026-01-27