1. NALA Omnibuzz© Research Debrief “Plain English” September 2011

2. The survey was carried out online using our Omnibuzz© among members of Empathy Research’s IdeasPanel who fitted the following criteria: –Nationally representative of the population of the Republic of Ireland aged 18-44 years, including a boost of 100 x 45+ year olds –Not working in Marketing, Advertising or Market Research There were a total of 1,101 participants in the survey. Methodology

3. Sample Demographic Profile

4. This survey was quota controlled by age and gender to be nationally representative of the population of the Republic of Ireland aged 18-44, along with a boost of 100 x 45+ year olds. Q. What age/gender are you? N = 1,101 Sample Profile GenderAge

5. This survey was also quota controlled by region to be nationally representative of the population of the Republic of Ireland. Q. In which of the following regions do you live? N = 1,101 Region

6. Survey Results

7. Almost 2 in 5 (39%) found it difficult or very difficult to understand information from public services and government bodies. This did not differ by gender. Q. In general, how easy or difficult do you find information from public services and government bodies to understand, for example local authority notices and letters, tax forms and certificates, social welfare information or letters and forms from your local hospital? N = 1,101 Ease of Understanding Public Services Information

8. Almost half (47%) of participants aged 18-24 found information from public services and government bodies either difficult or very difficult to understand. This was significantly higher than their older counterparts aged 45+ (26%). Q. In general, how easy or difficult do you find information from public services and government bodies to understand, for example local authority notices and letters, tax forms and certificates, social welfare information or letters and forms from your local hospital? N = 1,101 Ease of Understanding Public Services Information x Age

9. More than two fifths (43%) of participants from the rest of Leinster found information from public services and government bodies either difficult or very difficult to understand. This was significantly higher than their counterparts from Dublin (34%). Q. In general, how easy or difficult do you find information from public services and government bodies to understand, for example local authority notices and letters, tax forms and certificates, social welfare information or letters and forms from your local hospital? N = 1,101 Ease of Understanding Public Services Information x Region

10. Almost a third (30%) of participants have misunderstood some information, but there haven’t been any serious consequences as they have been able to ask somebody. 7% of participants have been anxious and distressed from misunderstanding a letter, leaflet or other piece of information from a public service. Q. Have you or a family member ever experienced serious consequences from misunderstanding a letter, leaflet or other piece of information from a public service? N = 1,101 Consequences of Misunderstanding

11. More than a third (36%) of participants aged 18-24 have misunderstood some information, but there haven’t been any serious consequences as they have been able to ask somebody. This was significantly higher than their older counterparts aged 45+ (15%). Q. Have you or a family member ever experienced serious consequences from misunderstanding a letter, leaflet or other piece of information from a public service? N = 1,101 Consequences of Misunderstanding x Age

12. A third (33%) of female participants have misunderstood some information, but there haven’t been any serious consequences as they have been able to ask somebody. This was slightly higher than males (27%). Q. Have you or a family member ever experienced serious consequences from misunderstanding a letter, leaflet or other piece of information from a public service? N = 1,101 Consequences of Misunderstanding x Gender

13. A third (33%) of participants from Munster & a third of participants from the rest of Leinster (33%) have misunderstood some information, but there haven’t been any serious consequences as they have been able to ask somebody. This was slightly higher than those from Dublin (26%). Q. Have you or a family member ever experienced serious consequences from misunderstanding a letter, leaflet or other piece of information from a public service? N = 1,101 Consequences of Misunderstanding x Region

14. Just over three fifths (61%) of participants knew that the term pro rata meant ‘a proportion of’. Q. What does the term pro rata mean? N = 1,101 Understanding Pro Rata

15. A lack of understanding of the term Pro Rata was most common amongst younger participants aged 18-24 (39%). Q. What does the term pro rata mean? N = 1,101 Understanding Pro Rata x Age

16. A lack of understanding of the term Pro Rata was slightly more common amongst female participants (24%) compared to their male counterparts (16%). Q. What does the term pro rata mean? N = 1,101 Understanding Pro Rata x Gender

17. More than two thirds (68%) of participants from Dublin knew that pro rate meant a proportion of. This was significantly higher than their counterparts from Munster (53%). Q. What does the term pro rata mean? N = 1,101 Understanding Pro Rata x Region

18. More than two thirds (69%) of participants who were working full time knew that pro rate meant a proportion of. This was significantly higher than their counterparts who worked part-time or were unemployed (50%). Q. What does the term pro rata mean? N = 1,101 Understanding Pro Rata x Working Status

19. The majority of participants (89%) knew that the phrase in lieu of meant ‘instead’. Q. What does the phrase ‘in lieu of’ mean? N = 1,101 Understanding ‘in lieu of’

20. The majority of participants aged 35+ (96%) knew that the phrase in lieu of meant ‘instead’. This was significantly higher than their younger counterparts aged 18-24 (74%). Q. What does the phrase ‘in lieu of’ mean? N = 1,101 Understanding ‘in lieu of’ x Age

21. The majority of female participants (91%) knew that the phrase in lieu of meant ‘instead’. This was slightly higher than their male counterparts (87%). Q. What does the phrase ‘in lieu of’ mean? N = 1,101 Understanding ‘in lieu of’ x Gender

22. The majority of participants from Dublin (91%) knew that the phrase in lieu of meant ‘instead’. This was the highest of all four regions of the Republic of Ireland. Q. What does the phrase ‘in lieu of’ mean? N = 1,101 Understanding ‘in lieu of’ x Region

23. The majority participants working full time (93%) knew that the phrase in lieu of meant ‘instead’. This was the significantly higher than their counterparts working part time or who were unemployed (83%). Q. What does the phrase ‘in lieu of’ mean? N = 1,101 Understanding ‘in lieu of’ x Working Status

24. More than four fifths (81%) of participants knew that a stakeholder was a person with an interest in a plan or project. Q. What does ‘Stakeholder’ mean? N = 1,101 Meaning of Stakeholder

25. More than four fifths (88%) of participants aged 35+ knew that a stakeholder was a person with an interest in a plan or project. This was significantly higher than their younger counterparts aged 18-24 (67%). Q. What does ‘Stakeholder’ mean? N = 1,101 Meaning of Stakeholder x Age

26. More than four fifths (84%) of male participants knew that a stakeholder was a person with an interest in a plan or project. This was slightly higher than their female counterparts (79%). Q. What does ‘Stakeholder’ mean? N = 1,101 Meaning of Stakeholder x Gender

27. More than four fifths (85%) of participants from Dublin knew that a stakeholder was a person with an interest in a plan or project. This was slightly higher than their counterparts living in Munster (76%) and Connacht/Ulster (77%). Q. What does ‘Stakeholder’ mean? N = 1,101 Meaning of Stakeholder x Region

28. More than four fifths (87%) of participants who were working full time knew that a stakeholder was a person with an interest in a plan or project. This was slightly higher than their counterparts working part time (73%). Q. What does ‘Stakeholder’ mean?N = 1,101 Meaning of Stakeholder x Working Status

29. More than half (52%) of participants thought that a strategic objective meant ‘essential targets’. This was followed by desired actions (34%). This did not differ significantly by working status. Q. What does ‘Strategic objectives’ mean? N = 1,101 Meaning of Strategic Objective

30. More than half (57%) of participants aged 35-44 thought that a strategic objective meant ‘essential targets’. This was significantly higher than their younger counterparts 18-24 years (47%). Q. What does ‘Strategic objectives’ mean? N = 1,101 Meaning of Strategic Objective x Age

31. More than half (57%) of male participants thought that a strategic objective meant ‘essential targets’. This was significantly higher than their female counterparts (47%). Q. What does ‘Strategic objectives’ mean? N = 1,101 Meaning of Strategic Objective x Gender

32. More than half (54%) of participants from Dublin and Munster (54%) thought that a strategic objective meant ‘essential targets’. This was slightly higher than their counterparts from the rest of Leinster (49%). Q. What does ‘Strategic objectives’ mean? N = 1,101 Meaning of Strategic Objective x Region

33. Summary & Conclusions

34. Understanding Public Services : Almost 2 in 5 (39%) found it difficult or very difficult to understand information from public services and government bodies. Almost half (47%) of participants aged 18-24 found information from public services and government bodies either difficult or very difficult to understand. This was significantly higher than their older counterparts aged 45+ (26%). More than two fifths (43%) of participants from the rest of Leinster found information from public services and government bodies either difficult or very difficult to understand. This was significantly higher than their counterparts from Dublin (34%). Almost a third (30%) of participants have misunderstood some information, but there haven’t been any serious consequences as they have been able to ask somebody. Effect of misunderstanding: 7% of participants have been anxious and distressed from misunderstanding a letter, leaflet or other piece of information from a public service. More than a third (36%) of participants aged 18-24 have misunderstood some information, but there haven’t been any serious consequences as they have been able to ask somebody. This was significantly higher than their older counterparts aged 45+ (15%). Summary I

35. Understanding Terms & Phrases Just over three fifths (61%) of participants knew that the term pro rata meant ‘a proportion of’. A lack of understanding of the term Pro Rata was most common amongst younger participants aged 18-24 (39%). A lack of understanding of the term Pro Rata was slightly more common amongst female participants (59%) compared to their male counterparts (63%). More than two thirds (68%) of participants from Dublin knew that pro rate meant a proportion of. This was significantly higher than their counterparts from Munster (53%). The majority of participants (89%) knew that the phrase in lieu of meant ‘instead’. The majority of participants aged 35+ (96%) knew that the phrase in lieu of meant ‘instead’. This was significantly higher than their younger counterparts aged 18-24 (74%). Stakeholder meaning More than four fifths (81%) of participants knew that a stakeholder was a person with an interest in a plan or project. More than four fifths (88%) of participants aged 35+ knew that a stakeholder was a person with an interest in a plan or project. This was significantly higher than their younger counterparts aged 18-24 (67%). Summary II

36. Conclusions  It is apparent that difficulties exist amongst sectors of the Irish population when it comes to understanding information from public services and government bodies. Although the majority of participants had a level of understanding of terms like pro rata and in lieu of, younger participants in particular appeared to have a lesser understanding of these words.  Statistically a low percentage of people were affected by misunderstanding information from public services and government bodies. Younger participants aged eighteen to twenty four who are affected will refer to others to clarify misunderstood information.  However, this is an opportunity to reduce this figure even further, with the use of ‘plain English’ in all public services and government bodies information.  Finally, the level of understanding of the terms and phrases was highest in Dublin, highlighting a need to focus on the rest of Ireland.