Irish Laws

sunshineoh9

I'm American and moving to Ireland soon and I wanted to learn some of the Irish laws... It would be a pitty if I got deported for breaking a law I didn't even know existed.. lol!

I'm not interested in learning EVERY law (at least not yet..) but I would like to get a leg up knowing some of the more basic laws that are necessary for me to know in order to avoid getting arrested my first week on that side of the pond. Also, laws for Limerick County and Limerick City.

So can anyone tell me the laws or send me to a good website? All I've been able to find are outdated and weird laws like "no oral sex before sundown"

Thank you so much, your help is truly appreciated!

Wolfe Tone

Leave the guns in america, dont kill anyone or do anything stupid ad you should be fine.

PCPhoto

bit silly - basic common sense should work.

oh and if that fails - our system is set up so the government cant deport you if you take a legal challenge(if you can find legal ground).... you can tie the government up in legal cases ...high court, supreme court, european court...for years !!

sunshineoh9

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Leave the guns in america, dont kill anyone or do anything stupid ad you should be fine.

lol, no guns in my possession... obviously no killing, stealing, guns, rape, etc.. what i'm looking for is like j-walking, things you can or cannot have in a government building, public drinking, legal driving bal and esp. driving rules...

eg: here in america you can't have an open alcoholic beverage other than in a bar or at home, and if you are under drinking age one dose of cough medicine is enough alcohol to give you a DUI.

sunshineoh9

PCPhoto wrote: »

bit silly - basic common sense should work.

oh and if that fails - our system is set up so the government cant deport you if you take a legal challenge(if you can find legal ground).... you can tie the government up in legal cases ...high court, supreme court, european court...for years !!

well if i were to get married while challenging the court would i then still be granted citizenship without fear of deportation? we are set to marry sometime between 2013 and 2014

Zambia

Look up TV Licence

But no you will not get deported unless you are a very very very bad person.

Enjoy Ireland..... Limerick is a good spot to despite the rumours.

drkpower

Your location makes me shed tears for you.

'currently Florida, soon to be Limerick'

time lord

Paid parking is confusing for people here never mind visitors. Every street and carpark may have its own rules for legally parking. There is no standard times or prices for paying. Methods of payment vary and methods of punishment also vary.

Try and find the nearest info plate on a pole on the street and don't read the one around the corner it may be for that street only.

We have loads of little laws but they are rarely inforced beyond an initial warning.

Certain breeds of dogs must be on a lead others dont have to be on a lead.
Kids under a certain age must be on a car booster.
You can bring a shopping trolly home miles away from the retail center but dont be caught throwing a fag butt on the ground on the way home with it as you have a better chance of being fined for that than taking the trolly.
Your tyre thread depth must be above 1.7mm I think. Usually measured after a crash.
All a bit tounge in cheek from me but bar the big no no's violence, rape etc. most things are dealth with with a warning. Ps I think J walking is illegal somewhere in Ireland like Dublin's O'Connell St. but I haven't heard of anyone getting done.

NoQuarter

I think the only law you need to know is that things are a lot more relaxed over here than in the states so just stop looking up laws, get onto google maps and have a look around the city!!

And relax!!

sunshineoh9

Zambia232 wrote: »

Look up TV Licence

But no you will not get deported unless you are a very very very bad person.

Enjoy Ireland..... Limerick is a good spot to despite the rumours.

he lives in a nice area so i'll be fine

drkpower wrote: »

Your location makes me shed tears for you.

'currently Florida, soon to be Limerick'

why?

time lord wrote: »

Paid parking is confusing for people here never mind visitors. Every street and carpark may have its own rules for legally parking. There is no standard times or prices for paying. Methods of payment vary and methods of punishment also vary.

Try and find the nearest info plate on a pole on the street and don't read the one around the corner it may be for that street only.

We have loads of little laws but they are rarely inforced beyond an initial warning.

Certain breeds of dogs must be on a lead others dont have to be on a lead.
Kids under a certain age must be on a car booster.
You can bring a shopping trolly home miles away from the retail center but dont be caught throwing a fag butt on the ground on the way home with it as you have a better chance of being fined for that than taking the trolly.
Your tyre thread depth must be above 1.7mm I think. Usually measured after a crash.
All a bit tounge in cheek from me but bar the big no no's violence, rape etc. most things are dealth with with a warning. Ps I think J walking is illegal somewhere in Ireland like Dublin's O'Connell St. but I haven't heard of anyone getting done.

thank you, this helped a lot!

Zambia

You see the question we really want to know is why would you leave Florida? Especially as the trend in Ireland at present is outward.

CSI Miami makes it look wonderfull (apart from all the bodies like)

sunshineoh9

Zambia232 wrote: »

You see the question we really want to know is why would you leave Florida? Especially as the trend in Ireland at present is outward.

CSI Miami makes it look wonderfull (apart from all the bodies like)

CSI Miami is rarely even filmed in Miami.... only when they are on Miami beach which is so iconic they couldn't get around filming that at some random beach. Media makes Miami out to be something it isn't... Now don't get me wrong, I love Miami, its a beautiful place and its where I grew up so I will always have love for Miami. But Miami isn't as great as everyone makes it out to be... I mean we only have two seasons... Dreadfully hot and sticky summer, and dreadfully hot and sticky hurricane season... lol

Why I'm moving? For one I've always loved Ireland (I have more pride for my Irish bloodline than any of my other bloodlines) and Ireland is the most beautiful places I've ever been...
For two, I just happened to fall in love with an Irish man that has asked me to marry him and move to his hometown of Limerick City

Wolfe Tone

Oh congratulations!

Soon you will long to exchange rain for a hot summer....

Sardonicat

time lord wrote: »

Ps I think J walking is illegal somewhere in Ireland like Dublin's O'Connell St. but I haven't heard of anyone getting done.

True, we let the traffic deal with that one....

sunshineoh9

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Oh congratulations!

Soon you will long to exchange rain for a hot summer....

that is another misconception a lot of people have about florida... most people think because it is hot that means its always sunny. yes, there is sunshine in florida but it also rains buckets! the only time its not always raining is in winter (usually around 20 c) but for most of the summer (around 40 c) it pours all day and all night. after a week of rain you might get a couple days of really nice, sunny (but humid) weather

but i'm not doubting that i will miss miami, its where i grew up

Wisco

sunshineoh9 wrote: »

I mean we only have two seasons...

We only have 2 seasons too....Rain, and more rain.
Trust me, you will miss the sun and warmth. Ireland is great at first, but when you realize you'll probably never live in a properly warm house or see the sun again you may regret your decision to leave Florida :rolleyes:

source

One piece of legislation I always point out to Americans, is Section 6, Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.

6.—(1) It shall be an offence for any person in a public place to use or engage in any threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace may be occasioned.
[GA]

(2) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £500 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both.

I do this because while you have a right to free speech here like in the US, here in Ireland it must not infringe on other peoples rights, So technically you can be arrested for swearing in public because it can be seen as abusive and insulting.....but don't worry too much OP we tend to be very foul mouthed, so this section is usually only used after pubs and clubs when people get rowdy.

Oh on the subject of Limerick, I'm from Limerick and living here with the last 28 years, don't believe all the hype and rumours you'll hear, it's a great place to live, and as it happens the jaywalking capital of the world (everyone does it in Limerick)

Wolfe Tone

Another thing that may be relevant is that the police are not armed with guns.

sunshineoh9

Wisco wrote: »

We only have 2 seasons too....Rain, and more rain.
Trust me, you will miss the sun and warmth. Ireland is great at first, but when you realize you'll probably never live in a properly warm house or see the sun again you may regret your decision to leave Florida :rolleyes:

lol, well maybe after a few years i can convince him to move back to the states (don't think i'd want to stay in miami but maybe central or north florida)

hopefully i won't get too home sick...

EveGerm

Hey guys!!!I urgently need your help regarding a loophole in Irish Law on the water....Does anyone know if there are restrictions on drinking on boats in Dublin Bay??
What conditions have to be fulfilled that you could drink there e.g. on a party...?
Maybe it is just a simple off license you need but I am not from ireland so please help me=)
Thanks a million!!!

Robbo

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Another thing that may be relevant is that the police are not armed with guns.

OP is planning on moving to Limerick.

source

Robbo wrote: »

OP is planning on moving to Limerick.

Oh yay, another misinformed person making a slight on Limerick, a place that they've probably never been.

Robbo

foinse wrote: »

Oh yay, another misinformed person making a slight on Limerick, a place that they've probably never been.

Every time I'm in the centre of Limerick town, I see the Armed Response boys in the Volvos.

sunshineoh9

foinse wrote: »

Oh yay, another misinformed person making a slight on Limerick, a place that they've probably never been.

well i have been to limerick actually.... and i'm not moving because i think limerick is so great i'm moving because thats where my fiance lives... which now we are talking about him moving here since its easier to move to america and there are more jobs available

flyingsnail

Robbo wrote: »

Every time I'm in the centre of Limerick town, I see the Armed Response boys in the Volvos.

Every time I am in Dublin or Mullingar I see them there, they are everywhere it doesn't mean anything.
Anyway back on topic

sunshineoh9 wrote: »

well i have been to limerick actually.... and i'm not moving because i think limerick is so great i'm moving because thats where my fiance lives... which now we are talking about him moving here since its easier to move to america and there are more jobs available

Welcome to Limerick and I hope your stay is a long and happy one.
If you do decide to move to Limerick I don't think there are any specific laws you need to worry about, if you just behave like you do at home you shouldn't have any problems.

Robbo

foinse wrote: »

Oh yay, another misinformed person making a slight on Limerick, a place that they've probably never been.

I've ostensibly lived in Limerick for the last year and it's a fine town with a lot going for it.

flyingsnail wrote: »

Every time I am in Dublin or Mullingar I see them there, they are everywhere it doesn't mean anything.
Anyway back on topic

The OP was told there were no armed police here, I said that there were. I'm fully aware that there's Armed Response units all over the country.

Wolfe Tone

It was I who said that the police are not armed. For the most part they are not, as in if you get pulled over for speeding you wont have to deal with a man wth a gun.

flyingsnail

Robbo wrote: »

OP is planning on moving to Limerick.

Robbo wrote: »

Every time I'm in the centre of Limerick town, I see the Armed Response boys in the Volvos.

Robbo wrote: »

I've ostensibly lived in Limerick for the last year and it's a fine town with a lot going for it.


The OP was told there were no armed police here, I said that there were. I'm fully aware that there's Armed Response units all over the country.

Yes but you could have said that there are some sections of the force that are armed rather than making it look like Limerick is the only place with armed Gardai.

source

sunshineoh9 wrote: »

well i have been to limerick actually.... and i'm not moving because i think limerick is so great i'm moving because thats where my fiance lives... which now we are talking about him moving here since its easier to move to america and there are more jobs available

Sorry sunshine, that wasn't aimed at you it was aimed at robbo.

Just to clarify there are some armed members of the police. When i say some, there are under 3000 armed officers in the country of the 14000 police officers employed by the state.

source

Robbo wrote: »

I've ostensibly lived in Limerick for the last year and it's a fine town with a lot going for it.


The OP was told there were no armed police here, I said that there were. I'm fully aware that there's Armed Response units all over the country.

No that's not what you said at all,

Mussolini said that there were no armed Gardai, you then stated that the op was moving to limerick.

Not once until now did you say there were armed Gardai all over the country.

sunshineoh9

please no arguing in my thread

thanks

slimjimmc

If you want to drive, your car must have a valid driving licence, up to date motor tax and insurance. If the car is over 4 years old it must also have a valid National Car Test (NCT) certificate.

Motor tax is paid every 3 or 6 months or annually depending on how deep your pocket is.
The minimum level of motor insurance required by law is 3rd party to compensate damage you do to other parties. You can optionally expand this to include fire & theft or get a comprehensive policy which gives greater protection. Insurance is tied to the specified car and specified driver, you can't drive just any car unless your policy specifically permits this. Likewise you generally can't allow anyone drive your car unless their policy permits.

The NCT is done every 2 yrs for cars older than 4yrs, then annually for cars older than 10yrs.

No right (or left) turn on red, ever. You'll just have to wait for green.

When buying any item or service as a consumer (not a business), sales tax (VAT) is automatically included. Except when the item/service is mainly sold to businesses not consumers.