Candie wrote: » I think what Irish people get for their very high taxes is poor value for money. The level of waste in some public bodies is studiously ignored and people pay the price in other ways for that. Property in major urban areas is highly priced, infrastructure is below the average in developed countries. Education, though 'free', needs improvement in many areas. If you work in a particularly specialized area, you have to leave. It's easy to be a big fish in a small pond, so the opportunity to reach the top of many careers is pretty good - because it's much more difficult to be a small fish in a big pond and rise to the top in a larger and more populous country. Irish food is good, Irish cuisine - not so much. The arts scene in Ireland is very small (to an outsider), and entertainment options that don't revolve around drinking are limited. Recreational sports etc suffer from poor facilities, and those that are available exclude all but the better off, as most things are expensive. On the other hand, Irish people are friendly and likeable, the weather doesn't present much in the way of danger, heathcare is free (if needing much improvement), and it's relatively safe. The size of the country fosters a community feel, and families tend to be close (probably because they can't get too far away from each other!). On a global scale, it's a great place to live. Relative to other developed countries, I guess it's a question of preferences. PS: We're calling poor people in developing countries 'peasants' now?
Electric Sheep wrote: » I honestly think that the Irish weather contributes to the high suicide rate.
Cina wrote: » People on the dole in our country get more money a month than 70% of the planet do in a year.
seamus wrote: » Low levels of corruption.
Arcade_Tryer wrote: » 70% of the planet don't pay the same prices for goods and services as people in Ireland do. The world is unequal. And so is Ireland. Let's not pretend or perpetuate the myth that those on the dole are living lives of luxury in Ireland.
Saipanne wrote: » Let's not pretend or perpetuate the myth that those getting free money, education and medical expenses are somehow on par with the TRULY impoverished in the world.
Arcade_Tryer wrote: » Nobody is doing that. Why would anyone do that? However, people in this thread are trying to say the opposite, that those on the dole have a great life relative to those in third world countries. Both are false comparisons. Both are pretty much meaningless. The difference? Only one comparison is being made by people i.e. the dole heads have it great compared to 70% of the world. But you already knew all of that that.
Stonedpilot wrote: » Utter bollocks. You are simply comparing us to some peasants in Uganda.
Deedsie wrote: » People complaining about the weather in Ireland are being ridiculous. Irish people have the highest rate of skin cancer in the world we are blessed with the climate we have. Cloudless skies 3 months of the year would be a health hazard here. A massive amount of our economy is based on the agri food industry. Our climate makes Ireland the perfect country for various farm practices. Professor John Crown highlighted last week on the radio that Irish people who emigrate to hotter climates are at a significantly higher danger of developing skin cancer. The sun doesn't suit us.
Skommando wrote: » No premiership team that wants to stay there says ah sure we're good enough in some areas, and we get good enough results. We need to focus on any areas that need improvement, and keep working at them.
Saipanne wrote: » No mid table premiership team thinks that they are completely sh1t in every way.
Deedsie wrote: » Of course, that goes without saying. Loads of areas we can improve, doesn't mean the majority of Irish people don't already have a relatively privileged lifestyle.
Flimpson wrote: » To me, quality of life refers to availability of clean drinking water and a variety of nutritious foods in sufficient quantities, it refers to accessibility of education and healthcare, work and a living wage and reasonable working conditions, electricity, hot water, transport, minimal risk of violence, no war, no famine, being able to voice our views on the government.
Flimpson wrote: » In Ireland, people's concerns can be whether there's anything good on Netflix ffs (and that's great isn't it?)
Skommando wrote: » For you and the comfy maybe, it's let them eat cake, but do you really think that's the concern of the unacceptably high number of Irish citizens who are lying on trolley's in A&E's or have to sleep outside tonight on the streets ? Or the people trying to help and care for them, or those carers fighting against the odds every day ?
darlett wrote: » We have a much lower rate of people sleeping outside compared to other countries.
Skommando wrote: » Compared to what countries ? What countries should Ireland be comparing themselves with ? Third world ones, or Western European ones ? It's bad enough, that even the government and public servants have found the honesty to admit Ireland has a homeless crisis.
darlett wrote: » Up to you. Go ahead and pick them and rate us. Lets see what our betters do and where we should look to improve. Countries you've experienced or know something about. I've spent a good amount of time in USA, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. A mixed bag. But all with worse levels of homelessness. I really haven't spent much more than a few odd days in other Western European countries to speak an informed opinion/
Skommando wrote: » All of things need care and maintenance , and without continued vigilance and hard work, significant threats to all of them are possible, with the possible exception of widespread famine. For you and the comfy maybe, it's let them eat cake, but do you really think that's the concern of the unacceptably high number of Irish citizens who are lying on trolley's in A&E's or have to sleep outside tonight on the streets ? Or the people trying to help and care for them, or those carers fighting against the odds every day ?
Widdershins wrote: » I think it's representative of the average person. It's a different story for people on the margins of any society. A bit of a horrible expression but accurate. Although, anyone can find themselves the victim of a field hospital style overcrowded A and E dept.
Skommando wrote: » Do you really believe only those on the 'margins of society' are lying on trolleys in A&E for example ?
snotboogie wrote: » We get too smug in these threads comparing ourselves to third world countries. We have a high cost of living (Dublin sits at the top of European rental prices in between London and Paris), poor public services, drastically outdated infrastructure and low wages. That gives most people a lack of disposable income and forces them into long commutes. Our climate isn't great, the no natural disasters is a complete farce as we have had numerous serious floods in the last decade, not a high death toll (was there any?) but how many people die from natural disasters in the western world every year? It's hardly much of a brag. At the end of the day we have a climate that at best makes outdoor activity uncomfortable and at worst impossible for most of the year. Compare that to France where a huge portion of the population can spend 3 months on the beach every year.
Skommando wrote: » So even the government, politicians, civil servants and media, who've managed to find the honesty to acknowledged the crisis, are in fact all lying and we don't have a homeless and affordable accomodation crisis ? Can you imagine if some gombeen politican came out and tried to say compared to Mozambique we don't have any homeless problem here ? Do you really think that's an acceptable political excuse for it ?
darlett wrote: » I've invited you to compare us to any country doing it better than us that we can learn from and you come back with politics. Mozambique? No, I never mentioned that. Stop deflecting. I mentioned countries I was familiar with as it's too important a topic to pull facts out of ones hole. If Mozambique is your chosen knowledge go ahead and enlighten us because either way I know nothing of the homeless situation there. If it's western European countries, go at that.
