Irish consumer confidence has risen moderately after falling to its lowest level in four years in April, according to a Irish League of Credit Unions survey.In an analysis of the findings, Austin Hughes said consumer sentiment “continues to point towards a consumer facing significant cost-of-living challenges as well as elevated economic uncertainty”. “The May sentiment survey still points to a nervous Irish consumer who sees Irish economic conditions and their own household finances now set on a weakening path,” he said in his report.While all the survey’s elements concerning household finances registered an increase in May, the largest monthly increase was in relation to the outlook for jobs.Noting that the jobs market was the element that had seen the largest deterioration between March and April, Hughes said “the scale of movement seen in May is to a significant extent a correction rather than a fundamental change in thinking”.The survey, carried out with Core Research, shows an index reading of 59.4 in May, reversing more than half of the cumulative decrease in confidence over the past two months. A reading above 50 indicates growth. The improvement in sentiment following the 40-month low recorded in April still leaves consumer confidence well-below long-term average of 83.3.However, the May reading is broadly in line with the 60.6 average reading across 12-months to April 2026, suggesting the difficulties facing Irish consumers are no different from those they have faced for some time. Hughes said the increases recorded in consumer confidence in May “appear to reflect two distinct developments”.“A ceasefire in the Middle East seemed to reduce the risk of extremely negative outcomes and prompted some slight easing in global energy prices,” he said.“At the same time, domestic factors in the shape of Irish Government energy support measures, budget data and official commentary ... suggested some scope to partly cushion the blow to the Irish economy from higher global energy costs.”Thirteen per cent of consumers said they would be unable to cope with a financial emergency costing €1,000, while two in five consumers said they would draw on savings. Hughes said the varying abilities of Irish consumers to weather an unexpected financial emergency “suggests some Irish consumers are comfortable, some are coping and some are just clinging on”.He cited recent research from the Economic and Social Research Institute showing more than one in 10 Irish households could not afford a warm home or their energy bills.