Roadmap to Recovery

Throughout the outbreak of COVID-19, Core Research collaborating with Core Strategy have been researching and reporting on the personal, societal and economic impacts of this crisis. Much of our work has focused on the current sentiment or past experiences of the people of Ireland, but we are now looking to the future.Our Roadmap to Recovery research is informing our plans for clients for the remainder of this uncertain year, highlighting when and how consumers will rebuild their confidence in returning to the world. There will be immense caution, but there is a also a sense that people want to rebuild their communities and local businesses, as best and safely as they can.The high level of compliance with stay at home restrictions has resulted in greater control of COVID-19 in Ireland. The country will always remember the pain and grief many families and communities have experienced as a result of losing a loved one, but public health officials are confident that restrictions can be reviewed, while acknowledging COVID-19 is with us for an uncertain period of time.The Irish Government has announced a five phase approach to re-opening our society and economy, currently planned from Monday 18th May. Core Research’s latest report, Roadmap to Recovery, analyses the public sentiment and confidence towards the re-opening of the country.This research, conducted from Friday 8th May to Monday 11th May, surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults asking them about lifting restrictions in terms of what were important to the public and when people would be confident in returning to different areas of life.Informed by the Government roadmap, this research focuses on five categories - community health (including social interaction), retail and commercial, education & childcare, economic (including work) and cultural & sport. Across these categories, people rank 38 behaviours or activities in terms of personal importance (e.g. returning to work, opening cafes, or attending sporting events) and when they would be confident in returning to these behaviours. 

Analysis has indicated that demand for each of these can be categorised into three types, according to when people would be confident with different spaces being re-opened:1. Pent up demand: the percent of people who want restrictions to be lifted ahead of the Government’s proposed phase.The average pent up demand is currently at 35% of adults.2. Phased demand: the percent of people who agree with lifting restrictions at the currently planned phased date.The average phased demand is currently at 18% of adults.3. Delayed demand: the percent of people who are only confident that restrictions should be lifted after the Government’s proposed phase.The average delayed demand is currently at 45% of adults.These averages vary significantly by activity, and inform how organisations, businesses and society can prepare for the various levels of demand across the summer months.Currently, by the end of the summer, the majority of the population is confident to return to every aspect of life (except travel abroad) as long as health and safety practices are in place.This report provides an understanding of the growth in public confidence across the summer months. You are welcome to download the PDF report below and as always if you need business support during this time, please get in touch. Stay Safe.