A measure of the mood among consumers has fallen to a record low this month.
The consumer sentiment index, compiled by IIB Bank and the ESRI, was 56 in April, down from 63.3 in March.
The ESRI's David Duffy blamed the fall on concerns about job losses, rising prices and the outlook for the property sector.
The index of current economic conditions dropped from 83 to 75.1, while the forward-looking index - which covers expectations about the coming months - was down from 50 in March to 43.1.
IIB economist Austin Hughes said the survey details indicated that people were more worried about the general economic climate than their own personal finances. 'This may suggest that consumers have braced themselves for a difficult period but are not experiencing acute problems,' he added.
He said 88% of those surveyed expected unemployment to rise in the coming year, the highest figure in the survey's history.
