The Irish League of Credit Unions reported a marginal decrease in the consumer sentiment index from 62.2 to 61.6, well below the long-term average of 83.2. This decline is attributed to ongoing concerns regarding living costs and an uncertain economic outlook, exacerbated by recent job losses in major companies. Notably, 42% of surveyed consumers identified cost-of-living pressures as the primary economic challenge facing Ireland over the next two years, reflecting a five-percentage-point increase from the previous year.