Moving to Ireland

Gaslamp

Hi folks -

I read with interest the thread on 'Moving to England'. I moved over to the UK 11 years ago (England, Wales, England now Scotland).

I've now decided it's time to move back to Ireland.

I've lived over here basically all my adult working life (I'm 29) and am currently applying for jobs all over Ireland.

I'd be really grateful for any tips for things I may need to consider when moving back over. I have the Irish equivalent to a National Insurance number, whatever it's called (from my school days!) plus a basic BOI deposit account.

I'm a wee bit nervous as I think things have changed a lot since I last lived there so any advice would be much appreciated

Conversely, if anyone wants any UK advice at all, then I'd be happy to help:)

Thanks!

fisty

theres a great shortage of work here at the moment, unless its urgent, i would recommending waiting a while for the jobmarket to get back on its feet so you don't end up on the dole.

What line of work are you in?

Gaslamp

I have a PhD in Microbiology.

I'm not going to move back until I get a job - no way - as I'm employed at the moment

Have applied for a few jobs, but only permenant positions. I don't want to uproot everything I have here for a short-term contract!:)

Was wondering more about living expenses, re-registering car etc etc etc.

koneko

Check out www.daft.ie for ideas of how much renting a flat/apartment will cost you (a lot).

You'll get a fair idea of how much car insurance will cost you through www.123.ie aswell (prepare to pay a fair bit more than in the UK).

Gaslamp

Ta for that. I take it it's called that 'cos of daft prices?

Hoping NOT to move to Dublin (no offence to it, just that it was the reason I moved to the UK, lol!)

WhiteWashMan

if you had similar reasons for moving to the uk 11 years, you can double those reasons for not moving back now.
the job market is in a wose place than ever, the price of everything has gone through the roof, and the infrastructure seems to be constantly in disarray.

in fact, the only thing that hasnt changed is the amount of knackers around and the crap government in power, most of whom are corrupt or incompetant anyway.

but of course, thats just my slant on things

but the job market is in ****e.....

Gaslamp

Cripes, is there nothing nice about Ireland anymore?:(


The bad job market, infrastructure etc are comments you could make about the UK too. I live in a one-bedroomed flat and currently pay STG. £1000 a year in council tax. Petrol costs a fortune here- you have the 2nd cheapest petrol in Europe. You lot just get 2 points for speeding, we get 3 (ie adds up to an extra chance for you lot when you near the 12 mark). The UK has the hardest-working population in Europe - they expect your job to be your life.You have fast lanes and slow lanes. WE have overtaking lanes except every fecker decides to sit in the middle or outside lanes doing 1mph faster than the car in the next lane. We also have vastly more caravans than you - and they all clog up the roads every weekend. At least in Ireland they're usually sensibly on bricks in someone's back garden. You have Bachelors' Walk, we have Take the High Road. You have the most fantastic scenery just about anywhere, we have motorways as far as the eye can see (and they're turning into toll roads).

Don't get me wrong, Britain's a fantastic place, but don't forget what you've got..........

bizmark

ou have the 2nd cheapest petrol in Europe.

And the highist insurance cost,s ........Your 29 male i guess insurance will be around 1000 euro (if not more) a year for you and thats for a tiny 1 liter car

You lot just get 2 points for speeding,

and one of the worst road death rates

You have fast lanes and slow lanes.

sure do if you can find a motorway in the country or a road the army didnt use for bomb testing


Are you reading the same books the yank,s do about ireland m8 ?

but don't forget what you've got

ummmmmmmmmmmmmm well i guess kerry,s a nice place to vist now all i need is 4000 euro for insurance and a car to go with it oh and hope i dont get killed on the way down

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by Gaslamp
Cripes, is there nothing nice about Ireland anymore?:(

oh, i didnt say that. i said i didnt want to live there anymore for a variety of reasons.

Originally posted by Gaslamp

The bad job market, infrastructure etc are comments you could make about the UK too.

then i suggest you vist ireland.

Originally posted by Gaslamp
UK too. I live in a one-bedroomed flat and currently pay STG. £1000 a year in council tax.

true, no council tax in ireland, but very high PAYE rates make up for that.

Originally posted by Gaslamp
Petrol costs a fortune here- you have the 2nd cheapest petrol in Europe.

and as said, insurance is possibly the highest in europe. oh, dont forget that cars are more expensive as well to buy.

Originally posted by Gaslamp
You lot just get 2 points for speeding, we get 3 (ie adds up to an extra chance for you lot when you near the 12 mark).

then i suggest you go and live in germany. i dont judge a country on how you are punished for breaking the law

Originally posted by Gaslamp
The UK has the hardest-working population in Europe - they expect your job to be your life.

depends on your job, depends on the company you work for, depends on who you are. and the same companies operate in ireland as england. and globaly. i dont think thats a valid point to be honest.

Originally posted by Gaslamp
You have fast lanes and slow lanes. WE have overtaking lanes except every fecker decides to sit in the middle or outside lanes doing 1mph faster than the car in the next lane. We also have vastly more caravans than you - and they all clog up the roads every weekend.

england has motorways. ireland does not. it has 2 lane roads in some places, and even those are crowded and jammed most of the time. oh, and if you want to compare road infrastructure, just go over the boarder and you will realise exactly what irelands and englands roads are like. its like going from a gravel track, to a motorway. and not in favour of ireland either.

Originally posted by Gaslamp
You have Bachelors' Walk, we have Take the High Road.

as far as television goes, you make your own entertainment. personally i have a lot more programs id rather watch than either of those two

Originally posted by Gaslamp
You have the most fantastic scenery just about anywhere, we have motorways as far as the eye can see (and they're turning into toll roads).

do you want to live in the ring of kerry?
do you want to live in the hills of conemara?

well go ahead and do so. on the other hand, you could go and live in the lake district, ot the hills of wales, or the highlands of scotland.
no, not much of an argument there either tbh.

Originally posted by Gaslamp
Don't get me wrong, Britain's a fantastic place, but don't forget what you've got..........

im sorry, i moved to surrey 2 years ago and ive forgotten.
please someone remind me?



now, before anyone bites my head of and says i hate ireland blah blah blah, i dont.
but i now see ireland as tourists do. its a great place to get pissed in for a weekend.
and thats it.
i dont want to work there, if i could get a job
i dont want to live there. if i could afford a house
i dont want to vote there. because no ones voice matters anyway, you only count if you own a dog food factory or have a million quid to buy a passport.
the only thing i miss are my friends and my family.

the funnny thing is, that most people ho give out to me for putting ireland down, have never lived outside of ireland.
and the people who dont understand why i left, havent lived in ireland for some time.
if i could move anywhere (and i guess i can) it wouldnt be back to ireland. and anyone i know who has moved out of ireland would usually agree with me on that. but then again, everyone who moved out of ireland did so for a reason, because the place has gone to the dogs.

sorry, but thats my view.

of course, if you want any information, i will try and give you as unbiased a viewpoint on it, but there are very few things in ireland these days that would give me any sort of pleasure.

bizmark

wwman has a point (or 5) as much as i hate to put my beloved country down (and i do love it) .......Where being ripped off for every thing ....The road,s are **** ......internet access is as bad as the road,s .....The goverments (all of them) dont have a clue

etc etc etc etc

iv been considering moveing for a long time now though im only 19 so i might wait a little while

Webmonkey

Originally posted by bizmark
wwman has a point (or 5) as much as i hate to put my beloved country down (and i do love it) .......Where being ripped off for every thing ....The road,s are **** ......internet access is as bad as the road,s .....The goverments (all of them) dont have a clue

etc etc etc etc

iv been considering moveing for a long time now though im only 19 so i might wait a little while

I've allready concidered moving and i'm 17 - thats how bad things are.
Up with the Taxes, Down with the wages. Thats how things are going these days in ireland.
Hey have ye heard now that they are putting tax on the amount of fat in food?

:rolleyes:

sci0x

Do not move to Ireland unless its only for the scenery!! I'm 17 and i'm getting out of here as soon as I get the money!! Heres a few pros and cons

The Economy: After 5 years of unbroken double digit economic growth, the economy has slowed to almost to a crawl in 2003 and doesnt seem to be improving.

The Job Scene: "Real" unemployment is fairly low. Officially, it's under 5%. It does look to be improving but still its still pretty bad unless you have high end technical and medical skills which are in high demand.

Tax: Single Taxpayers
Personal tax credits of €1,520
Income Tax after subtracting deductions from total pay:
20% on the first €uro 28,000
42% on the balance

Married Taxpayers (two incomes)
Personal tax credits of €3,040
Income Tax after subtracting deductions from total pay:
20% on the first €uro 56,000
42% on the balance

Married Taxpayers (single income - this is a scheme to encourage more women into the work force)
Personal tax credits of €3,040
Income Tax after subtracting these deductions from total pay:
20% on the first €uro 37,000
42% on the balance

Education: Can't complain. It's excellent

Health: Waiting Lists for people without insurance can last for up to a year.

Tourism and Culture: Can't Complain. Ireland is blessed with a rich history and culture, friendly people and a beautiful landscape.

bizmark

well its not the slow down in the economy that i would jumping ship because off

It,s more the way i cant get insurance .....I cant get decent internet ........I cant afford a house......If i get sick im ****ed.......I cant afford a car.........Blablablablablablablab

i wouldnt move to england though ..........Im looking more toword Finland Germany or swenden (god bless the eu)

Gaslamp

QUOTE]And Whitewashman - you can't afford a house in Ireland but you can in Surrey? A few more years of the M25 car-park and you'll get sick of that too. You said you missed friends and family - that is precisly the reason I want to move back. I'm tired of having to plan visits to my family a couple of months in advance to get affordable plane tickets and not being able to 'pop' home at weekends. That, to me, is a good enough reason.[/QUOTE]

ah, you see, im not silly enough to get a job that means i have to drive the m25 at all

i very rarely need to drive on it, and thats only a good thing as far as im concerned.
as for being able to afford a house in surrey and not in dublin, well its easy.
i wouldnt get paid as well in dublin as i do over here. very simply really. when you realise that the average salary in surrey is 27k a year, and the average salary in ireland is probably about 22k euro, it makes perfect sense. especially if you compare pound for pound (or euro) its cheaper to buy in surrey.
so, cheaper prices, more money.

at the end of the day, you have your own reasons for wanting to live somewhere, or what you think is important in life.
if living closer to family is whats important to you, then no matter what anyone says, you will try and move closer.

i miss my family and friends, but i would hope they realise why i left, and dont begrudge me a visit every few months. if they did, i would think very badly of them indeed, after all, who are they to dictate to me the terms of my visitations

besides, i live my life for me and my partner, not for my friends and family, and they have their own lives to live too.

but like i said, if there is specific info that you are looking for, as opposed to general concensus (or biased opinion, depending if youare talking to me or not ) i hope that we can provide you with the information you need.
i know that things are always greener on the other side, and to me, australia is the place to be. but then again, i was born there.
people who have lived there all their life may tell me that its terrible. who knows?

but what sort of info are you looking at? i mean, its good to have a good rant every now and then about how you feel about things, but its not helping you in anyway. just self therapy

so, what you want?

fisty

thats fair enough that you wanna come home to see family and friends... but I still recommend waiting a while as I think it's going to get a whole lot worse before getting better.

WhiteWashMan

oh bóllox

gaslamp, im really sorry, i edited your post by accident instead of quoting!
and i didnt even realise.

erm, ahem.
really sorry about that!

and i couldnt figure it out until i saw the edited by wwman remark at the bottom of your last post!

/me gets coat.....

bizmark

Damn mod,s

damnyanks

Sack him

Gaslamp

Ha ha - Moderators are great creations, aren't they?:D

No, I guess I've really made up my mind already to come back. If it doesn't work out, I'll come back over here (or England or Scotland). I have loads of contacts. If I didn't, there'd always be that 'what if' and I hate those.

I guess most people have answered my questions in one way or another (through their rants about the country!) - PAYE, cost of living and all that. I've been over here all my adult life and didn't really know all that, so ta for that:)

Interesting some of the other comments though, about was I reading literature that the Americans read? Well, people (lots of people) thinking I'm an 'ex-pat' is another reason to back and have a go living there. I hate that term.

As I said before, I'll try getting work in NI - living in Ireland but with British benefits;)

WhiteWashMan

then good luck, but just remember, NI is NOT ireland

oh, and they shoot each other up there.
nice place, but wouldnt live in it like.

Gaslamp

Mate, it's not the ROI, but it IS still Ireland:)

I think all the 'shooting' stuff has calmed down a lot over the last few years;)

People are great, very friendly and, besides, I'm from Donegal so I know it well. Great place to live

Gaslamp

Hiya - just thought I'd give you all an update.

I got a job in Killarney, and am moving over next month.

I guess I'll soon see how 'bad' it is then!

sci0x

Originally posted by Gaslamp
Hiya - just thought I'd give you all an update.

I got a job in Killarney, and am moving over next month.

I guess I'll soon see how 'bad' it is then!

Hey I live very near killarney. Do you mean Killarney in Co. Kerry? Where are you working?

Gaslamp

It's a little science company about a mile outside town. Somewhere on the Killorglin road (I think). I just went over for a few hours for the interview so I'm not sure of the exact address!!!

Looks like a really nice place though. I've been once before and liked it

All I need to do now is find a karate club and I'll be happy Do you know of one?

WhiteWashMan

if you want shotokan karate, i can put you in contact with some people.

as for living in Killarny, nice scenery, but i wouldnt like there

and no, northern ireland is not ireland. the same way that france is not germany. same landmass, but thats about it.

however, i hope you enjoy living in killarny. enjoy the amercian tourists. and enjoy posting to boards.ie from your 56k modem

Gaslamp

Well, if you've actually lived in Killarney, I will accept your comments about not wanting to live there. Otherwise, how would you know you wouldn't like it? Impossible.

Northern Ireland - look at the name

And are you always such a Victor Meldrew?

WhiteWashMan

you asked for opinions.
you got opinions.
if you dont like opinions, theres no point in slaggin of those who bothered to answer you.

northern ireland is not ireland. it has a seperate currency and government. are you saying that north and south korea are the same country? i think not.

if i was victor meldrew, im sure i would say something like 'i dont believe it' or some other corny catch phrase.

Well, if you've actually lived in Killarney, I will accept your comments about not wanting to live there. Otherwise, how would you know you wouldn't like it? Impossible.

and since you have been there for approximately 2 hours, and i have spent weeks down there, i probably have a better idea of the place, wouldnt you think?

sci0x

Originally posted by WhiteWashMan
however, i hope you enjoy living in killarny. enjoy the amercian tourists. and enjoy posting to boards.ie from your 56k modem

Sorry to disappoint you but broadband is available in Killarney.

Gaslamp

Originally posted by WhiteWashMan
you asked for opinions.
you got opinions.
if you dont like opinions, theres no point in slaggin of those who bothered to answer you.

northern ireland is not ireland. it has a seperate currency and government. are you saying that north and south korea are the same country? i think not.

if i was victor meldrew, im sure i would say something like 'i dont believe it' or some other corny catch phrase.



and since you have been there for approximately 2 hours, and i have spent weeks down there, i probably have a better idea of the place, wouldnt you think?

Ouch!

Well, I ain't gonna argue with someone who evidently knows Killarney and its broadband availability so well.

It's nice to see someone so content with English suburbia posting on Irish messageboards so frequently though.

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by Gaslamp
Ouch!

Well, I ain't gonna argue with someone who evidently knows Killarney and its broadband availability so well.

It's nice to see someone so content with English suburbia posting on Irish messageboards so frequently though.

hey, just because you got answers you werent expecting, no need to get snappy.
you asked, you got answers. im not sure how else i can give you an opinion without you liking it, if its information you dont want to hear. i mean, there is a huge difference between working in northern ireland (where you said you originally wanted to go) and killarney (the other end of the country (in terms on politically, physically and from an infrastructure point of view).

i have no idea what your jibe about living in england adds to this discussion, except to show that you feel some sort of point scoring scenario has come into play. my location doesnt have any bearing on my opinions. would it be different if i was living in a £20m apartment in sydney or new york?

if youarent willing to engage in a discussion where you sked for opinions, then dont ask for opinions.

netman

Originally posted by bizmark
And the highist insurance cost,s ........Your 29 male i guess insurance will be around 1000 euro (if not more) a year for you and thats for a tiny 1 liter car

heh, that's if you're really really lucky...

i'm 29, have a full driving licence for 11 years, got a 5 years no claims bonus, and my insurance for a 1 liter micra is 1050 euro. and believe you me, it's the best i could find, and i've spend weeks shopping around!

Gaslamp

Originally posted by WhiteWashMan
hey, just because you got answers you werent expecting, no need to get snappy.
you asked, you got answers. im not sure how else i can give you an opinion without you liking it, if its information you dont want to hear. i mean, there is a huge difference between working in northern ireland (where you said you originally wanted to go) and killarney (the other end of the country (in terms on politically, physically and from an infrastructure point of view).

i have no idea what your jibe about living in england adds to this discussion, except to show that you feel some sort of point scoring scenario has come into play. my location doesnt have any bearing on my opinions. would it be different if i was living in a £20m apartment in sydney or new york?

if youarent willing to engage in a discussion where you sked for opinions, then dont ask for opinions.

I really don't feel the need to have to 'score points' against you. It serves no purpose at all.

'Jibes' about American tourists or 'shooting people' were not really helpful 'opinions' about a thread that was originally begun to ask for tips and advice about re-location.

To get the thread back on track......

Information about PAYE or car insurance being more expensive were very useful, same for the accomodation website address. I have since found out other useful information about things like re-registering my car, VRT, changing my driving licence etc. (and, despite it not being top of my priority list while trying to move country, I now know that Killarney has broadband).

Is it possible to drive an Irish-registered car with a British licence? I was told I could use my British licence indefinitely but I'm not sure if that also holds when driving an Irish car. I heard somewhere that you can't do that.

netman

You can find the information here about driving in Ireland with a foreign driving licence: http://www.oasis.gov.ie/transport/motoring/exchanging_foreign_driving_permit.html

Looks to me like you're safe for up to 12 months. So apply for a driving test when you get here, as it takes nearly a year to get an appointment. By the time your 12 months run out you should have passed the driving test and gotten an Irish driving licence.

And I hear UN send you a special gift box once you collect driving licences from 5 different countries...

Borzoi

Originally posted by netman

Looks to me like you're safe for up to 12 months. So apply for a driving test when you get here, as it takes nearly a year to get an appointment. By the time your 12 months run out you should have passed the driving test and gotten an Irish driving licence.

Prsuming he holds a UK licence, all he has to do is exchange it - no test required.

BTW Gaslamp don't mind WWM's rhetoric:D

Gaslamp

Is that to go along with 5 different identities??

Thanks for the site - looks good.

Luckily, I won't have to re-take my test as Britain is one of the countries that Ireland allow direct exchanges of licences with. It'd be a pain the have to re-take my test after 11 years!! :eek:

WhiteWashMan

ireland has a 10 year limit on driving licences, unlike the UK's lifetime licence.
you may be treated as a frist time driver in ireland as well, regardless of how long you have driven, because you will be 'a first time driver on irish roads' (which by the way are more dangerous than scotland and wales put together).

by the way, tourism is kerrys largest industry, so be prepared for large amounts of american tourists.
im not being funny, its actually the truth. killarney is the loch ness of ireland. green and touristy, with lots of rain.

Gaslamp

I don't mind the tourists so much; we get loads of them over here too. I will miss the motorways though - I know that Kerry's roads are akin to the worst in Donegal. I do believe there are a couple of insurance companies that recognise British no claims bonuses so I'll just have to hunt them out, or get a broker to do that for me, though I agree that the insurance is likely to be sky high compared with what I'm paying here. Swings and roundabouts I guess!

My main worry was my flat over here, but I found a tenant for it last night so things are starting to come together, thank goodness! 5 weeks from start to finish isn't a great deal of time to move house, so that's one thing less to worry about.....:dunno:

casper-

Originally posted by Gaslamp

Luckily, I won't have to re-take my test as Britain is one of the countries that Ireland allow direct exchanges of licences with. It'd be a pain the have to re-take my test after 11 years!! :eek:

Why....why isn't Canada one too? [yes, it's a rhetorical question]. The one thing that annoyed me was that up until last year (or so), you could actually exchange your Canadian license for a full British one and then swap that for an Irish one. Somehow, the equivalent of the DMV in Britiain then decided that we were only allowed to swap for an 'automatic car' British license, and I think (although I haven't checked) it's going to get worse. Hoooray for public transport!

[edit] Oh, one more thing, I've been driving for [only] eight years but with a perfect records ... and it _will_ be a pain to have to take another driving test :P

Gaslamp

Yeah - not sure why they don't allow exchanged with canadian or US licences - ridiculous. Completely off-topic, but if you're a British policeman and move to Ireland, you can't transfer over to the Siochana - you have to apply as a recruit like everyone else. AND there's an age-limit of 26 to join!That's really daft too.


As WWM said though, Ireland's 10-year lifetime of licences is a good idea IMO, as oppsed to the UK's 40-or-so years. Some of the old folk over here should not be driving!

:dunno:

seamus

Originally posted by Gaslamp
Yeah - not sure why they don't allow exchanged with canadian or US licences - ridiculous.

Cos the requirements to get a licence in the US are even more farcical than here in Ireland. The only formal test is 10 minutes in car park driving around cones, parking and reversing. My brother holds a full US licence and even agrees that it's completely useless as an indicator of driving skill to any degree

Gaslamp

Originally posted by seamus
Cos the requirements to get a licence in the US are even more farcical than here in Ireland. The only formal test is 10 minutes in car park driving around cones, parking and reversing. My brother holds a full US licence and even agrees that it's completely useless as an indicator of driving skill to any degree

Ah, fair enough then, and I guess there is the other minor matter that they're used to driving on the other side of the road.....

I shall engage my brain next time

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by Gaslamp
Ah, fair enough then, and I guess there is the other minor matter that they're used to driving on the other side of the road.....

I shall engage my brain next time

well you say that, but i was going to add it as well, but the frencgh and germans drive on opposite sides of the road, and yet they can still exhange licences because they are part of the EU.

go figure.

Gaslamp

Originally posted by WhiteWashMan
well you say that, but i was going to add it as well, but the frencgh and germans drive on opposite sides of the road, and yet they can still exhange licences because they are part of the EU.

go figure.

Cripes. Yes. Will engage brain NEXT time......:dunno:

I think I need a holiday......:rolleyes:

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by Gaslamp
Cripes. Yes. Will engage brain NEXT time......:dunno:

I think I need a holiday......:rolleyes:

try Kerry.
its really nice.
just watch out for the tourists

Gaslamp

Originally posted by WhiteWashMan
try Kerry.
its really nice.
just watch out for the tourists

casper-

Originally posted by seamus
Cos the requirements to get a licence in the US are even more farcical than here in Ireland. The only formal test is 10 minutes in car park driving around cones, parking and reversing. My brother holds a full US licence and even agrees that it's completely useless as an indicator of driving skill to any degree

Yeah -- I agree ... when I did my Canadian driving test nine years ago I didn't even have to do parallel parking However .. that doesn't mean I still can't whine about having to re-do my driving test in ireland, right?

Having said that; in Ontario, getting a driver's license is much more difficult -- there is a 2 year graduated licensing scheme in place, and your final road test is actually quite involved and takes about 45 minutes including city and highway driving.