Irish people overestimate immigration numbers, ESRI study reveals

Most people in Ireland overestimate the scale of immigration, a new study found. Participants in an ESRI survey estimated 28% of the population was born abroad, significantly higher than the official figure of 22%. This misperception is linked to negative attitudes towards immigration. The study also revealed participants underestimated migrants' education and employment levels while overestimating their use of social housing and presence in the prison population.