Catholics in the North have given a much higher rating to the system of government than was the case 10 years ago. Similar ratings for northern Protestants are balanced, at 30 - 31 per cent, between those saying it is better and worse than a decade ago. The Catholic rating had 60 per cent noting an improvement.
This increased satisfaction is further reflected in both communities' attitude to the effects of the Belfast Agreement.
While there is growing disillusionment among northern Protestants with the agreement and a dominant view that it has benefited nationalists more, there is a growing perception among Catholics that nationalists have benefited better from the agreement.
It is on issues of family and sexual morality that Catholics and Protestants on the island find most common ground. Both have deeply held views against abortion, with opposition highest among regular Church attenders.
Of the European countries surveyed, only Malta opposes abortion more strongly.
Where homosexuality is concerned, both communities hold increasingly tolerant views and are at the mid-range among European countries.
Where most family/sexual morality related issues are concerned, Catholics and Protestants on the island have "experienced a substantial shift towards the liberal positions common in most European countries".
But "the family is still as highly valued as in the past, and marital infidelity is still widely disapproved of".
Yet "unmarried parenthood has become more widely accepted, though majorities still regard joint parenthood as better for children's welfare. Opposition to abortion and homosexuality has declined, but is still high, especially among Catholics in the case of abortion, and among Protestants in the case of homosexuality".
The study concludes that "on all the major issues, the Republic and Northern Ireland, and Protestants and Catholics within both parts of Ireland, are closer to each other than to most other national populations in Europe".
It was "particularly notable that Northern Ireland as a whole, and Protestants within Northern Ireland, are quite at a remove from Britain on these issues".
On the major aspects of family and sexual values examined, it found that "northern Protestants have more in common with the Catholic population on the island of Ireland than they do with the rest of the United Kingdom".
