The research, compiled by the neutral Austrians, has found that Irish people have lower average IQ than the British, the Americans, and the French.

The table was compiled by researchers from the University of Vienna medical school, who drew on a variety of sources to produce average IQs for 50 countries.

Britain is ranked 11th with 100 points, which is the same score as Belgium and New Zealand, while Ireland, with 93 points, is one of the poorer performers in Europe.

The people of Hong Kong topped the table. The Far Eastern countries of South Korea, Japan and Singapore take the other top four places after Hong Kong, which has 107 points. The USA falls outside the top 20 with 98 points.

The use of IQ tests to make comparisons between different nationalities is highly contentious.

It is believed that the Far Eastern countries perform well because they have advanced skills in mathematics. Sylvia Herbert, chairman of British Mensa, the association for people with IQs in the top 2% of the population, said: “IQ tests are not perfect, but they will have been going for 100 years next year. They have been refined and adjusted over the years and they are predictors of success in work. Mensa members have higher than average incomes.

“It does not surprise me that the Far Eastern countries came top. They are known to be better at mathematics. I was in Singapore for our international meeting and that year Singapore children had gained the highest results of developed countries.”

There may be some succour for countries such as Ireland and America: many academics believe that IQ tests fail to assess true intelligence.

David Schulman, chairman of Irish Mensa, said Ireland was in the top two ranking countries in terms of Mensa members. He said it was not a fair reflection on the country to question its levels of intelligence.

“I think the research needs to have more gravitas in it,” he said. “Ireland is an intelligent country in terms of its education and intellect. Sticking labels on countries is not fair comment. Irish people are bright and are quick learners and that is why we do so well in many aspects of work, including the IT sector.

“I think an examination of intelligence that labels Ireland as a poor performer is incredibly biased and I would not be happy with that sort of statement.”

Dr Mary Corcoran, from the department of sociology in NUI Maynooth, said: “In social respects IQ tests are of no standing and do not indicate anything of a person’s capacity to be happy or successful.

“I think this research is of absolutely no relevance whatsoever and seems to me to be very limited in what it says about Ireland. I would be very dismissive of it.”

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