Most Irish people have no faith in the government and would prefer an all-party group to lead them through the financial crisis, a new poll showed today.

Fifty-eight percent of the public are “not at all satisfied” and 21 percent are “not very satisfied” with the Irish government’s handling of the crisis, according to the poll, which the Irish Independent and Millward Brown Lansdowne carried out. Twelve percent express some form of satisfaction.

A large majority – 62 percent – want a national, all-party government to deal with the financial crisis.

And an overwhelming proportion of people – 91 percent – want the bankers responsible for the crisis to undergo criminal prosecution. Although the authorities have investigated the banking scandals, no criminal prosecutions have followed, the Independent reported.

The poll shows the deep distrust and cynicism that the Irish currently feel towards their leaders.

The results “reveal a deeply troubled electorate, whose fundamental attitudes have been quite consistent over a year of economic turmoil,” wrote Roger Jupp, the chairman of Millward Brown Lansdowne, in the Irish Independent.

"It remains in a very wary and distrustful state, aching for change – any change, as long as it is for the better,” he continued.

The Irish have always distrusted their politicians, but now the situation is worse than ever, Jupp said.

He added, "We are fed up with the barrage of negativity and simply wish that the heavy hand of financial pressure would loosen its grip on us."