Trust in news in Ireland has fallen significantly over the past year, according to the Digital News Report Ireland 2026 published by Coimisiún na Meán.
The annual study shows that 42% of Irish people say they trust most news most of the time, down from 51% in 2025. However, trust in established news brands remains considerably higher, suggesting audiences continue to value recognised and reliable sources of information.
RTÉ News and local radio news emerged as Ireland's most trusted news brands, with 71% of respondents describing them as trustworthy. They were followed by local and regional newspapers (69%), The Irish Times (69%) and the Irish Independent (68%).
Despite the decline in overall trust, Ireland continues to perform strongly by international standards. Trust in news stands at 42%, compared with 36% across Europe, 31% in the UK and 26% in the United States.
The report also highlights growing concern about misinformation and the source of online information. Some 71% of Irish respondents said they are concerned about what is real and what is fake online.
Trust levels vary significantly depending on source. While 51% said they trust the news they personally consume, only 31% trust news from search engines, 16% trust news from social media and 14% trust news from AI chatbots.
Interest in news remains comparatively strong in Ireland. More than half of respondents (54%) described themselves as very or extremely interested in news, ahead of comparable figures in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom.
However, news avoidance has reached its highest level recorded in the Irish survey. Almost half of respondents (47%) said they actively try to avoid news, up from 41% a year ago.
The report also found that 22% of Irish people now pay for news, compared with 9% a decade ago. Among those who subscribe, 39% said they pay to access content they cannot obtain elsewhere, while 38% said they do so because they believe journalism is important to society.
Commenting on the findings, Media Development Commissioner Rónán Ó Domhnaill said the report highlighted the challenges and opportunities within an increasingly fragmented media environment.
"The ambition of Coimisiún na Meán is to develop and maintain a media landscape that consumers can trust," he said.
Specialist Media
Afloat is a member publication of the Press Council of Ireland and has reported on Irish sailing, boating and maritime affairs for more than 60 years.
The findings may also have implications for specialist publishers serving defined audiences and sectors. While trust in news generally has fallen, Irish audiences continue to place value on recognised brands, expert reporting and content they cannot easily find elsewhere.
The growth in paid news subscriptions and the willingness of readers to support unique content may offer encouragement for specialist media operating outside the mainstream news market.
For specialist maritime publications such as Afloat, the findings suggest there remains strong demand for sector-specific journalism that connects readers with news, analysis and results from their own communities and industries.
At a time when only 14% of Irish respondents say they trust news from AI chatbots and just 16% trust news from social media, publications operating within established editorial and regulatory frameworks may have an increasingly important role to play in maintaining confidence in specialist reporting.
