Seriously worried ...

Duggys Housemate

Ireland is about at the French level. It is true that the troubles in the French ban lieu isolate French people a bit from the troubles we see in the centre. But killings are in fact in the suburbs, mostly, and of people involved in the trade. I can't remember anybody normal getting shot.

FTA69

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Ireland is about at the French level. It is true that the troubles in the French ban lieu isolate French people a bit from the troubles we see in the centre. But killings are in fact in the suburbs, mostly, and of people involved in the trade. I can't remember anybody normal getting shot.

There was a fella shot in Limerick in a case of mistaken identity, and a few years back a woman called Donna Cleary was shot with a machine pistol after refusing to admit local gangsters into a party.

Luxie

IzzyWizzy wrote: »

OP, I'm not implying anything, but not only do you have perfect English, you also use idiomatic expressions, even Irish expressions flawlessly...

Where did you learn your English?

Having seen op's posts before I would have said Irish abroad..

RADIUS

Ireland is a puppy compared to France when it comes to crime! The French gov have an official list of no go areas. Even the cops need to move in riot squads to enter these areas.

Qualitymark

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Ireland is about at the French level. It is true that the troubles in the French ban lieu isolate French people a bit from the troubles we see in the centre. But killings are in fact in the suburbs, mostly, and of people involved in the trade. I can't remember anybody normal getting shot.

Actually, not so:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate#By_country

Madam_X

FTA69 wrote: »

It's not incorrect at all actually. A few years back Dublin had a considerably higher murder rate than London due to elements shooting each other over drugs.
Not to mention the fact that unlike London city centre, Cork and Dublin centres are full to the brim of junkies and general scuts.

You said the toughest estates here are worse than in London. Go to South London.
Cork centre is not full to the brim with junkies; Dublin seems to have improved in that regard compared to five years ago - in my experience anyway.

This isn't a national or civic pride thing from me by the way - I'm simply saying you're making incorrect statements.

Duggys Housemate

Qualitymark wrote: »

Actually, not so:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate#By_country

Whats not so? That shows france at 1.1 ( per 100000 I think) and Ireland at 1.2. Which proves my point, in fact I went to that site before I made my point - that Ireland and France have similar homicide rates.

later12

If you have a job in Ireland, it can be a great place to live. Especially if you live in the countryside, or a city borough where rent is particularly inexpensive. You can save quite a lot of money by European standards even on a low/mid-20k salary.

For every € you earn on the minimum wage in Ireland, the total contribution to the state (including social insurance, levies & other charges) is 14c in that €1.

The effective overall contribution on a €25,000 salary is about 17%, incl. all taxes & charges.

The effective overall contribution in a €35,000 salary is about 21%, incl. all taxes & charges.

These tend to compare well by European standards, and you can live in Ireland pretty cheaply if you are clever with your money. My anecdotal experience would be that a lot of Europeans use their time in Dublin as a good opportunity to contribute to their savings.

Madam_X

Qualitymark wrote: »

This is exactly what I'm talking about, exactly.

Ireland is two countries now. In one, people are comfortable, secure, well-off, with nice jobs and good wages and health insurance, good holidays, a career structure; they've never missed a meal and they live happy, relaxed lives.

And they're completely unaware that many people - indeed, if they only knew it, perhaps the prosperous-seeming solicitor sitting opposite them and laughing - are living lives of terror and desperation, mired in mortgage debt. They walk (or more likely drive in their fairly new cars) unheeding past the shops that have closed, and past the people calculating whether they have the money to pay for a meal or should try to pay their home insurance with that money. They simply have no conception, for instance, that more than 77,000 people in Ireland are in arrears with their mortgages.

Of course they're aware many people are in dire circumstances. My point though is that a few people are maintaining Ireland is a terribly poor, repressed country overall. It is not. Do you think people should discontinue doing small things to enjoy themselves like going for lunch on a Saturday because there are people who can't afford to do this?
I feel more for the people who are in abject poverty as Frada mentioned, or the people who were just unlucky and lost their jobs, rather than those who didn't bother their holes paying for stuff and are now in a debt of their own making. You'd be surprised at the number of people who don't want to pay bills simply because they don't feel they should have to, because they merely don't want to.
How do you know that those people who are lucky to be living comfortably don't make charity contributions/work for charities? Because many do.

I wish them happiness of their unawareness, as I wish happiness and good rest to the wealthy families of Corofin in 1850 who ordered lobster and wine while their neighbours starved around them.

Hysterical comparison. Going for lunch, driving a newish car, wearing moderately priced clothes... is hardly the same as being a greedy fat cat while people surrounding you fade away.
I'm not talking about rich people - I'm talking about people who have the means to get by without too much stress, and that is the life for a lot throughout Ireland, so the nonsense of comparing it to Haiti or somewhere really should be kicked into touch.

Qualitymark

Madam_X wrote: »

Do you think people should discontinue doing small things to enjoy themselves like going for lunch on a Saturday because there are people who can't afford to do this?

Heavens, no! Of course not!