Ireland has best quality of life in world...

...according to the Economist.

http://www.economist.com/media/pdf/QUALITY_OF_LIFE.pdf

Lux23

But you wouldn't really want to get sick.....

Miss Fluff

.....Or be too much of a sun-worshipper :rolleyes:

humanji

Or want to buy a house.



Or feel safe walking the streets.



Or have a severe hatred of Tubridy!

Dont be at yourself

Or want a social life that doesnt revolve around alcohol...

Or want your children educated in a secular environment...

Archeron

Personally, I dont have many complaints. (apart from all the usual ones mentioned above) I'm lucky in that I own my own house, have a car, a good quality of life, health insurance, enough cash to live relatively comfortably (I'm not loaded, but I'm not on the breadline either), my family around me and freedom of speech, expression, political and religious motivation etc. I'd tend to agree with the report, and I'm not even one of the many many many people driving around in €100k plus Mercs and Beemers and living in big mansions with swimming pools and tennis courts, like so many people seem to.

I think a lot of people dont realize how lucky so many of us do actually have it.

Dyr

It's more a social life that happens to have a coincidental proximity to alcohol

FillSpectre

jomanji wrote:

Or want to buy a house.



Or feel safe walking the streets.



Or have a severe hatred of Tubridy!

Of course important things like

Able to feed your family

or have a job

or have a place to live

or actually be safe on the streets

really have no importance.

If you think it is truely unsafe on the streets of Dublin you have no concept of what it is like to be unsafe on the streets. Buying a house is a luxury, affordable medicne (not cheap) is accesible, state benifits are actually good here, our economy is built on the weather that allowed things to grow here. Health care in Ireland isn't actually that bad A/E is in trouble and the service is difficult to use but go else where and you will see much worse. The fact other people say we have the best overall won't change your minds as the worst Irish trait is a post colonial hang-up about any system and authority. It actually makes us very like the English who down trodden masses dislike authority but love theri country we just don't love our country.

BossArky

I saw one of those a few months back and wasn't it 3 cities in Canada which were reputed as having the best quality of life, closely followed by 3 Australia ones. In summary the articule said that Canada had the highest standard of living.

Dyr

The mind is it's own place and in itself can make a heaven of hell or hell of heaven...

I know this country is wrecking my buzz lately, i wonder if the things that put us at the top of this poll are the things we're chucking overboard in our rush to keep up with the jones.

Tha Gopher

NekkidBibleMan wrote:

Or want a social life that doesnt revolve around alcohol...

Or want your children educated in a secular environment...

Aye, the 40 odd minutes per month of religion we did in national school plus the three per week in secondary that we used to spend messing, doing homework for next class and watching documentaries about drug abuse turned me out a worse fundamentalist than sending an impressionable muslim kid to a madrassa on the Afghan border

Financially we are doing good, but these surveys dont take into account peoples actual personal lives.

Financially we are doing good, but these surveys dont take into account peoples actual personal lives.

Or the amount of debt that most people have to keep that standard of living.

Vegeta

well we came 14 out of 15 in a health service survey or so Ian Dempsy said this morning on the radio.

Endurance Man

Bloody moaners :mad: , if you lot had any idea, perhaps some of you should go live in other parts of the world, you seem to think ireland is so bad, bloody pathetic. Its ignorance is what it is!

DSN

My husband spent 12hr in a&e yesterday after being referred there by his GP for a minor surgical procedure. After 12 hrs was told bythe A&E doc they didnt do that procedure & shud have got a referral to outpatients. I blame the idiot gp in his case, but this was my first experiance of how crap the health service is. Felt so sorry for the older people & properly ill packed into a stuffy room with not even enough chairs for 12 hours. worse than a third world country if u ask me.

DSN

DSN wrote:

worse than a third world country if u ask me.

On the other hand I had a great day yesterday.

Clearly your bad day and my great day will negate each other when looking at the overall quality of life...

eiretamicha

Endurance Man wrote:

Bloody moaners :mad: , if you lot had any idea, perhaps some of you should go live in other parts of the world, you seem to think ireland is so bad, bloody pathetic. Its ignorance is what it is!

What he said.

And those of you complaining about being safe on the streets? Come walk OBT in Orlando after dark...or even try walking in Eatonville in the daytime...then there's Leesburg, which I so affectionately call Sleezeburg, and can't forget some places in Tampa...this is all in Florida, and you can bet yer a$$ that I count my blessings every day. Couldn't even imagine what living is like in some of those middle-eastern countries.

The things we take for granted...stop yer freakin complaining and realize just how damn good you've got it. Not directed at anyone individually, but jeez...at least you're not homeless eating out of a damn trash can wondering if it's gonna rain anytime soon so you can get a drink of water...:(

FillSpectre

DSN wrote:

worse than a third world country if u ask me.

How many third world countries have you lived in? I can't say it is worse or better as I have never been to one. I have had heard people say similar about airports, roads etc... but I have seen worse in 1st world countries so I tend to find the comment insulting to actual real 3rd world countries and to here.

Endurance Man

Endurance Man wrote:

Bloody moaners :mad: , if you lot had any idea, perhaps some of you should go live in other parts of the world, you seem to think ireland is so bad, bloody pathetic. Its ignorance is what it is!

I love the way you can't criticise anything about Ireland without someone jumping in, and telling people to leave. :rolleyes:

I have lived in a few countries in the past, and I wouldn't rank Ireland near the worst or near the best. I'd suggest close to the middle. For the standard of living we receive, we pay for it at every step of the way. If we had a better infrastructure, and better level of services, then I would place us much higher.

meditraitor

Deleted User wrote:

Clearly your bad day and my great day will negate each other when looking at the overall quality of life...

That sounds like something a FF TD would say...

shnaek

Endurance Man wrote:

Bloody moaners , if you lot had any idea, perhaps some of you should go live in other parts of the world, you seem to think ireland is so bad, bloody pathetic. Its ignorance is what it is!

eiretamicha wrote:

What he said.

And those of you complaining about being safe on the streets? Come walk OBT in Orlando after dark...or even try walking in Eatonville in the daytime...then there's Leesburg, which I so affectionately call Sleezeburg, and can't forget some places in Tampa...this is all in Florida, and you can bet yer a$$ that I count my blessings every day. Couldn't even imagine what living is like in some of those middle-eastern countries.

The things we take for granted...stop yer freakin complaining and realize just how damn good you've got it. Not directed at anyone individually, but jeez...at least you're not homeless eating out of a damn trash can wondering if it's gonna rain anytime soon so you can get a drink of water...:(

If we sit down and think this country can be no better then we will never change. I have lived in Australia, America, Germany and the UK and I can say while we have many wonderful things here - we need to improve.

Our education standards are falling. Our health care is 25th out of 26 European nations. Our urban planning is an absolute joke. Political corruption has to be stamped out. These are some issues we should seek to change and better ourselves on. I am just giving these as an example.

We can compare ourselves to the worst and call ourselves great, or compare ourselves to the best and ask 'How do we get there?'

DaBreno

What did you expect from a magazine called the Economist? The economy here is doing well, employment is quite high and GDP is great reletive to the rest of the world. For these guys Money = Happiness, we have loads therefore Ireland is the best country in the world.
Or we still have a good bit to go if you look beyond pure economics.

meditraitor

meditraitor wrote:

That sounds like something a FF TD would say...

I am not a FF TD.

I just didn't really get the point. Was she saying that up to yesterday the quality of life was good, but that she spent so long in a hospital that today it's bad? Or that her individual experience of one aspect of life affects the Economist's overall contention that we have the best quality of life?

jimbono1

Irelands ****, just the rest of the world is ****ter

meditraitor

Deleted User wrote:

I am not a FF TD.

Deleted User wrote:

I just didn't really get the point. Was she saying that up to yesterday the quality of life was good, but that she spent so long in a hospital that today it's bad? Or that her individual experience of one aspect of life affects the Economist's overall contention that we have the best quality of life?

Ireland is a great country to live in.



Anyone who thinks differently is deluded

FillSpectre

DaBreno wrote:

For these guys Money = Happiness, we have loads therefore Ireland is the best country in the world.
Or we still have a good bit to go if you look beyond pure economics.

Did you bother reading how it was worked out? It isn't economics and it is also not the the only such study to say similar.

meditraitor

meditraitor wrote:

Anyone who thinks differently is deluded

And should be beaten. Or sent to a gulag.

meditraitor

Deleted User wrote:

And should be beaten. Or sent to a gulag.

Or leitrim

Battlejuice

meditraitor wrote:

Or leitrim

That's a bit harsh now. A gulag is sufficient.

I may not be a FF TD, but I can confirm that anyone who disagrees with the thread will have their details noted and filed in FF HQ. Come the overall majority, I'd recommend a good hiding place...

JimmySmith

Let me guess most of the people who think Ireland is not a great place to live were not old enough to be looking for a job in the eighties.

It was a bad place to live then then, its great now.
Also go travel around India or Africa for a bit and then come back and complain how bad Ireland is.

Yook

Why the hell is Canada so low, its like a paradise compared to here. Its the same with the USA, their drinking age is 21 which leaves teenagers time to do other activities (bowling,camping,theme parks etc) which is what this country should be thinking about (before anyone asks, es I did live there...for 8 years). At the same time I can understand why the USA ranks so low, with the majority population being poor but at least their social lives are not all drink related.

I see kids around my area (12+) with nothing to do....this can only lead them to Alcohol and possibly Drugs, its really a problem but it is soo engrained within our society that it has become a cultural issue.

Kernel

Deleted User wrote:

I just didn't really get the point. Was she saying that up to yesterday the quality of life was good, but that she spent so long in a hospital that today it's bad? Or that her individual experience of one aspect of life affects the Economist's overall contention that we have the best quality of life?

It's not difficult to see what her point is. The health service affects a persons quality of life - albeit moreso with certain sections of society. The health service is ****, ergo it's an example of a negative factor to perceived 'overall quality of life'.

meditraitor

Deleted User wrote:

I may not be a FF TD, but I can confirm that anyone who disagrees with the thread will have their details noted and filed in FF HQ. Come the overall majority, I'd recommend a good hiding place...

This would have more frightening if it wasnt an FFoverall majority but a FF/Sinn Fein Coalition.

I cant see anyone disagreeing with them 2 if they get into bed together:(

FillSpectre

JimmySmith wrote:

Let me guess most of the people who think Ireland is not a great place to live were not old enough to be looking for a job in the eighties.

It was a bad place to live then then, its great now.
Also go travel around India or Africa for a bit and then come back and complain how bad Ireland is.

Very, very good point.

My wife worked with a company that hired a load of graduates each year. Many would come in and start moaning about how baddly the company was run and how sh*t Dublin was. Clueless and later when she meet them they were all a lot less arrogant.

It is quite common to be disillusioned with a goal.

Vegeta

I hate people who go "if you think Ireland is bad try living in India, Africa or "insert 2nd/3rd world country here" "

Well we don't live in any of those countries, and what is wrong with pointing out the short comings of our country.

Health care is poor

Roads are sh1te in majority of the country
Loads of road deaths, very few gardai on the roads yet government are shocked that penalty points don't deter drivers.

Get taxed through the ass on everything but the money doesn't seem to help solve the roads or healthcare problems.

To be honest I have strongly considered moving to a different country in the last few weeks

nitrogen

jomanji wrote:

Or have a severe hatred of Tubridy!

LOL. Thank fcuk I live in the UK. I saw one show on either Friday or Saturday night back in March, I wanted to kill him there and then. Living here, it's like he doesn't exist :-)

mountainyman

FillSpectre wrote:

...I have had heard people say similar about airports, roads etc...

those comments are bull****; compared to Russia, China, India we have it fantastic.

MM

Cake Fiend

DSN wrote:

worse than a third world country if u ask me.

What an intelligent thing to say. I bet you love tabloids.

Dyr

Deleted User wrote:

And should be beaten. Or sent to a gulag.

Ireland is a gulag, you think all those eastern europeans are over here of their own free will?

kizzyr

JimmySmith wrote:

Let me guess most of the people who think Ireland is not a great place to live were not old enough to be looking for a job in the eighties.

It was a bad place to live then then, its great now.
Also go travel around India or Africa for a bit and then come back and complain how bad Ireland is.

I agree. There is no country in the world that is perfect or even close to it. Here in Ireland things have improved hugely from how they were for so long. The answer to the majority of things that are wrong with and in Ireland lies in the hands of the Irish people. For a start we can learn how to socialise without getting rat arsed every night, there is a life outside alcohol. We can for once say no to corruption and stop turning a blind eye to politicians who rip us all off and say "ah sure who is any better". People can ask questions and demand answers then things may begin to improve. The longer we, as a nation, sit and criticise and focus only on the bad the longer things will stay this way, why not put that energy into improving where you live, work, socialise and then there is a chance that things will improve. It is also worth noting that the Republic of Ireland as a state and nation is not yet 100 years old and when you consider that things aren't quite so bleak yet much improvement is needed and if they people of a country don't care enough to put the effort in then who else should?

JimmySmith

Vegeta wrote:

I hate people who go "if you think Ireland is bad try living in India, Africa or "insert 2nd/3rd world country here" "

Well we don't live in any of those countries, and what is wrong with pointing out the short comings of our country.

Health care is poor

Roads are sh1te in majority of the country
Loads of road deaths, very few gardai on the roads yet government are shocked that penalty points don't deter drivers.

Get taxed through the ass on everything but the money doesn't seem to help solve the roads or healthcare problems.

To be honest I have strongly considered moving to a different country in the last few weeks

I reccommend you move to Africa then. Drive on some of those roads.
You wont have to pay tax. 75% of nothing is nothing. And visit a hospital too for the crack.

nitrogen

How can you take a survey seriously that has Ireland at #1 and the UK at #29. If anyone here has lived in London or elsewhere, you'll see my point.

Vegeta

JimmySmith wrote:

I reccommend you move to Africa then. Drive on some of those roads.

Yeah sure i will hang on i am just finishing packing my suit case now......honestly what is wrong with pointing out Irelands short comings.

I am sure every debate in the Dail on what was wrong with health care in Ireland someone shouts, "why bother improve it Africa is worse"

FillSpectre

Vegeta wrote:

I hate people who go "if you think Ireland is bad try living in India, Africa or "insert 2nd/3rd world country here" "

You see you then just list things that were bad here according to you! Now you have to base your beliefs on some place where all of these things are better. Most people respond with try living elsewhere as a level of comparison not purely as "get out of here" comment. Now can you name a single country that has everything the way you want it?

I dislike people claiming things are sh*t with out any justification or claim to a better place. Road deaths are 90% the fault of the person driving. Irish direct tax is quite low and there is more pay by use taxes which I think is fairer but our highest tax on goods is 21% which isn't that high either.

JimmySmith

Vegeta wrote:

honestly what is wrong with pointing out Irelands short comings.

Nothing, but some perspective is always good.

Vegeta

FillSpectre wrote:

You see you then just list things that were bad here according to you! Now you have to base your beliefs on some place where all of these things are better. Most people respond with try living elsewhere as a level of comparison not purely as "get out of here" comment. Now can you name a single country that has everything the way you want it?

I dislike people claiming things are sh*t with out any justification or claim to a better place. Road deaths are 90% the fault of the person driving. Irish direct tax is quite low and there is more pay by use taxes which I think is fairer but our highest tax on goods is 21% which isn't that high either.

France, Germany, Sweedan, Holland all have better healthcare systems

The UK have far fewer road deaths per capita

Income tax is low but vat is high 21%. Rich and poor people pay the same 21%. Stamp duty on a house. VRT on cars even after vat is added. My point is also not that the tax is rediculous but that it is wasted and we are being fleeced.

Dave!

Do FF pay you to make these threads...?

FillSpectre

Vegeta wrote:

France, Germany, Sweedan, Holland all have better healthcare systems

The UK have far fewer road deaths per capita

Income tax is low but vat is high 21%. Rich and poor people pay the same 21%. Stamp duty on a house. VRT on cars even after vat is added. My point is also not that the tax is rediculous but that it is wasted and we are being fleeced.

Let me clarify as you did not understand. name ONE place where all of these things are better. They should also have every good aspect of Ireland too.
Vat at 21% is on luxury goods and still not that high. Road deaths are still the resposnibility of the driver 90% of the time. This is a social issue. You never mentioned tax was wasted but as you have name a place where this claim is never made. You really do sound like you are moaning with out any proper comparison.

So you know France, Germmany , UK And Holland all had empires/colonies. THis meant they had more money than us for many many years. The residents of such places are still reaping the benifits of these ill gotten gains. I'm not too sure about Sweden. YOu need to consider history of money and population size to ignore this is a little silly. We were lucky to survive the genocide attempted on us let alone gain freedom and create a system out of the ashes of a civil war. Check out Spain and see how they have managed. You sound a little ignorant of our history and that of the world.

JUst try and play a computer game like Civilisation and you might get the concept of how a balacend economy and country can be created and how 10 years of economic growth can't fix years of neglect.

WhiteWashMan

home is where the heart is

Nina_Angelica

kizzyr wrote:

I agree. There is no country in the world that is perfect or even close to it. Here in Ireland things have improved hugely from how they were for so long. The answer to the majority of things that are wrong with and in Ireland lies in the hands of the Irish people. For a start we can learn how to socialise without getting rat arsed every night, there is a life outside alcohol. We can for once say no to corruption and stop turning a blind eye to politicians who rip us all off and say "ah sure who is any better". People can ask questions and demand answers then things may begin to improve. The longer we, as a nation, sit and criticise and focus only on the bad the longer things will stay this way, why not put that energy into improving where you live, work, socialise and then there is a chance that things will improve. It is also worth noting that the Republic of Ireland as a state and nation is not yet 100 years old and when you consider that things aren't quite so bleak yet much improvement is needed and if they people of a country don't care enough to put the effort in then who else should?

very well said. if more ppl would step up to the plate and accept some responsibility, the changes would happen.
it's easy to talk the talk but not enough ppl can walk the walk.

i'm not irish, but lived in ireland (been home in canada now about a year, which is another GREAT place to live but far from perfect as well) for a year or so (also visited many many times prior to my move).
it is a GREAT place to live, BUT, there are lots of things that can be frustrating about it and wouldn't be if ppl were just a bit more efficient.
same could be said about loads of other countries but if ppl aren't going to pitch in to help make the difference, nothing will change.

that having been said, i think of ireland as my second home and i love it as much as i love canada, i look towards better things for it!