Moving back to Ireland

KateyDaley

I've been living abroad for over 15 years and am thinking of moving back to Ireland with my husband and two kids, aged 8 and 6. What do I need to consider when thinking about our monthly/yearly costs. Here's what I've thought of:

housing: mortgage or rent
Utility bills: heating, electricity, phone, mobile
car: insurance, tax, petrol
school: uniform, books & materials, voluntary contributions
bin charges
water charges
health insurance
food

Are there any other taxes or charges that I'm not thinking about?

We already have a bank account, Irish driving licences, PPS number (for me and hubby). What other bureaucratic things would need to be done?

Thanks for any advice!

Impetus

You don’t mention if you are coming from within or without the EU.



Anyway things that also spring to mind
·

H Health insurance – get a certificate from your previous insurer
· If your savings are not in EUR, currency FX rate and commissions – which can mean a 2% tax or so


· Time / cost of dealing with bureaucracy, much of which is scared to make a decision.


· Property tax


· Are you importing a car ? Or will you sell it?


· Property – the high cost and poor standard of repair work and waiting delays you may not be used to


· Car insurance – get claim history document from your current insurer


· Furniture – bring or buy?


· The total tax take on your current income –v- the tax take in IRL. Many Irish taxes are hidden.


· The poor choice of consumer goods in the average Irish supermarket, which tends to be small in size, and packages of stuff like detergent are sold in small, expensive sizes per kg etc


· Is someone in your household reliant on frequent visit to the doctor and the cost thereof in IRL – typical GP visit EUR 60+



T The appalling state of the Irish hospital system…. If any of your family has chronic issues etc.
·

Bottled water – many parts of Ireland require one to boil water before consuming same – the public water supply is not up to standard.


· Getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road (again). The poor signage, especially on private space like car parks, and the lack of white arrows on blue backgrounds showing the driver the options of legal turns etc

The absence of proper service areas on motorways, and the few that exist are shut except for fuel after midnight. Which is not very helpful if you arrive late on a flight and are in the need of food and a break.

aaakev

Impetus wrote: »

You don’t mention if you are coming from within or without the EU.



Anyway things that also spring to mind
·

H Health insurance – get a certificate from your previous insurer
· If your savings are not in EUR, currency FX rate and commissions – which can mean a 2% tax or so


· Time / cost of dealing with bureaucracy, much of which is scared to make a decision.


· Property tax


· Are you importing a car ? Or will you sell it?


· Property – the high cost and poor standard of repair work and waiting delays you may not be used to


· Car insurance – get claim history document from your current insurer


· Furniture – bring or buy?


· The total tax take on your current income –v- the tax take in IRL. Many Irish taxes are hidden.


· The poor choice of consumer goods in the average Irish supermarket, which tends to be small in size, and packages of stuff like detergent are sold in small, expensive sizes per kg etc


· Is someone in your household reliant on frequent visit to the doctor and the cost thereof in IRL – typical GP visit EUR 60+



T The appalling state of the Irish hospital system…. If any of your family has chronic issues etc.
·

Bottled water – many parts of Ireland require one to boil water before consuming same – the public water supply is not up to standard.


· Getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road (again). The poor signage, especially on private space like car parks, and the lack of white arrows on blue backgrounds showing the driver the options of legal turns etc

The absence of proper service areas on motorways, and the few that exist are shut except for fuel after midnight. Which is not very helpful if you arrive late on a flight and are in the need of food and a break.

wow! Dont like ireland much? (I agree with a lot of what you said tho!)

Impetus

aaakev wrote: »

wow! Dont like ireland much? (I agree with a lot of what you said tho!)

That is why I don't live there, (aside from rain and cold etc).

Gooser14

Crap broadband service outside of the large cities/towns. This is particularly the case in rural areas, even within 3 or 4 km of towns served by fibre broadband.

Gooser14

Child care is very expensive.

Impetus

Gooser14 wrote: »

Crap broadband service outside of the large cities/towns. This is particularly the case in rural areas, even within 3 or 4 km of towns served by fibre broadband.

"fibre" in quotes. Because it is not FTTP. Both eircom and UPC are economical with the truth when they use the fibre word. Both are using copper to the home 99% of the time.

Sheldons Brain

Gooser14 wrote: »

Child care is very expensive.

This kind of thing is relevant, the size of detergent boxes is really not material.