From Ageism to Age Equality: Addressing the Challenges ...

Table 18: Responses to Scenario Two18-29 30-49 50-59 60-69 70+ Allyears years years years yearsYounger man 59% 61% 67% 68% 67% 63%Older man 12% 5% 8% 7% 11% 8%It depends 20% 23% 15% 16% 12% 19%Other 1% 1% 1% 0% 1% 1%Don’t know 8% 10% 9% 8% 9% 9%30Scenario ThreeFinally, respondents were asked how they thought most people in the Republic of Ireland would reactif a close female relative in her twenties wished to marry a man in his fifties, and how theythemselves would feel. The majority of respondents considered that most people would mind a lot orat least a little (Table 19). It is noteworthy that those aged under fifty were the most likely to thinkthat people in general ‘would mind a lot’: 44 per cent of the 18-29 years group and 41 per cent ofthe 30-49 years group compared to 30 per cent of the 70+ years group. With regard to their ownreactions, Table 20 shows that 44 per cent of respondents would not be concerned with those underthe age of fifty being the least likely to be concerned. Respondents aged fifty years and over weremore likely to have concerns but their attitudes were more muted than those they attributed to thegeneral population in the Republic.Table 19: Response of other people to Scenario Three18-29 30-49 50-59 60-69 70+ Allyears years years years yearsWould mind a lot 44% 41% 34% 36% 30% 39%Would mind a little 20% 32% 33% 27% 24% 30%Would not mind 21% 23% 23% 26% 36% 24%Don’t know 5% 5% 10% 12% 10% 7%Conference Proceedings