25pc afraid of losing jobs as confidence hits a record low...
MORE than a quarter of workers fear that they are about to lose their jobs, while one in five thinks their personal financial circumstances will worsen in the next year.
But the number of people who fear redundancy in the private sector is likely to be even higher as the survey did not distinguish between public and private sector workers.
The Ipsos Mori poll, seen exclusively by the Irish Independent, reveals that consumers' confidence in their personal finances is at its lowest level since the survey was first conducted in 1999.
Recessionary times are striking fear into workers with more than a quarter of workers afraid that they are about to lose their jobs.
Younger people are more insecure about their jobs than older workers, the survey conducted among 1,500 people between July and September shows.
More than a third of those aged between 16 and 24 are concerned about the possibility of being made redundant.
Almost three-quarters of people think their general economic circumstances will worsen in the next year.
But the fall in economic confidence seems to have halted temporarily.
Decline
Research director of Ipsos Mori Kieran O'Leary said: "While the decline in confidence that was seen earlier in 2008 has stabilised in the third quarter, this is most likely only temporary."
Mr O'Leary said the worsening economic climate during the last three months of the year meant that further declines in confidence can be expected.
"However, certain developments such as the falling price of fuel and reductions in interest rates may offset some further falls in personal confidence."
The pollster added that the gap between those thinking their personal financial circumstances will get better and those thinking they are going to worsen is now the narrowest since they started measuring it in 1999.
"It is more than likely that this gap will be eliminated during the fourth quarter and we will shortly see a situation where there is a higher proportion expecting their financial circumstances to worsen than expect things to get better," Mr O'Leary added.
Older people are particularly concerned about their personal standard of living.
Just 8pc of those over the age of 60 think their personal economic circumstances will improve in the next 12 months.
Report by Charlie Weston Irish Independent Newspaper.
MORE than a quarter of workers fear that they are about to lose their jobs, while one in five thinks their personal financial circumstances will worsen in the next year.
But the number of people who fear redundancy in the private sector is likely to be even higher as the survey did not distinguish between public and private sector workers.
The Ipsos Mori poll, seen exclusively by the Irish Independent, reveals that consumers' confidence in their personal finances is at its lowest level since the survey was first conducted in 1999.
Recessionary times are striking fear into workers with more than a quarter of workers afraid that they are about to lose their jobs.
Younger people are more insecure about their jobs than older workers, the survey conducted among 1,500 people between July and September shows.
More than a third of those aged between 16 and 24 are concerned about the possibility of being made redundant.
Almost three-quarters of people think their general economic circumstances will worsen in the next year.
But the fall in economic confidence seems to have halted temporarily.
Decline
Research director of Ipsos Mori Kieran O'Leary said: "While the decline in confidence that was seen earlier in 2008 has stabilised in the third quarter, this is most likely only temporary."
Mr O'Leary said the worsening economic climate during the last three months of the year meant that further declines in confidence can be expected.
"However, certain developments such as the falling price of fuel and reductions in interest rates may offset some further falls in personal confidence."
The pollster added that the gap between those thinking their personal financial circumstances will get better and those thinking they are going to worsen is now the narrowest since they started measuring it in 1999.
"It is more than likely that this gap will be eliminated during the fourth quarter and we will shortly see a situation where there is a higher proportion expecting their financial circumstances to worsen than expect things to get better," Mr O'Leary added.
Older people are particularly concerned about their personal standard of living.
Just 8pc of those over the age of 60 think their personal economic circumstances will improve in the next 12 months.
Report by Charlie Weston Irish Independent Newspaper.