While commentators are often quick to point to a perceived lack of support for the Church, latest research indicates that priests have outstripped both journalists and politicians in terms of levels of public trust.
The IPSOS MRBI Veracity Index for 2020 has shown that clergy elicited 54% trustworthy responses from those polled, remaining the same as 2018 levels, while journalists and politicians sat at 42% and 32% respectively.
For journalists, this was a fall of 4 points on 2018, while politicians gained 10 points on their 2018 trustworthiness.
Healthcare professionals continued to lead the way, with nurses, pharmacists, and doctors earning responses of 97%, 96%, and 95% respectively.