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Is Ireland as bad as some people make it out to be?

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    #32
    utyh2ikcq9z76b
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,213 ✭✭✭utyh2ikcq9z76b


    Galwayguy35 wrote: »
    A euro over it

    Mr Fat Cat over here


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    #33
    irishman86
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,814 ✭✭✭irishman86


    aido79 wrote: »
    I have been living in Australia for the last 10 years but am planning on moving back to Ireland next year.
    From reading the news there seems to all sorts of crisis going on...health, housing etc.
    I will be moving back with my wife and 2 kids and am an electrician. I own a house there so I won't be affected by the housing crisis?
    I generally take most things on Facebook with a pinch of salt but the amount of negative comments on articles from Rte or other news sites makes Ireland seem like some third world economy. Are these comments being made by people who can never be satisfied no matter what is done by the government or is it the view of the majority of the population?
    I'm trying to keep an open mind but the negativity has me a bit worried.

    Ive just left Ireland but i found the economy was picking up again
    My friends in the construction industry all had work lined up for the year which hasnt been a thing in a while
    Like you said you have a house so avoid that and its crazy prices
    Having lived in Australia myself, would i leave there again if i was in your situation with a child. Not for a second
    I moved to Argentina so as my child can enjoy a proper outdoor childhood, that your kids will get in Australia.
    If its to see more of your family, you should read some stories about that. In the majority people end up very disappointed with this reason
    in short DONT LEAVE AUSTRALIA :pac:


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    #34
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Wheeliebin30 wrote: »
    Our hospitals provide excellent healthcare when you get in, it’s the getting in but that’s hard.

    But there is some excellent work and staff in our hospitals that don’t get enough credit.

    Please read the "Rate my Hospital " site comments..

    http://www.ratemyhospital.ie/

    I have scars both physical and mental....


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    #35
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


    Thanks for all the replies... both the positive and the negative ones.
    My main reason for returning to Ireland apart from family is that I am planning on returning to college to get an engineering degree which will take 3 years full-time. This will mean that my wife will be the main breadwinner with family helping out with childcare.
    We have savings so not overly worried about the financial side of things as we don't have a mortgage.
    We haven't made up our minds on whether we will stay in Ireland but we will all have Australian passports so will always have the option to move back to Australia if it doesn't work out.


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    #36
    riffmongous
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,636 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    aido79 wrote: »
    Thanks for all the replies... both the positive and the negative ones.
    My main reason for returning to Ireland apart from family is that I am planning on returning to college to get an engineering degree which will take 3 years full-time. This will mean that my wife will be the main breadwinner with family helping out with childcare.
    We have savings so not overly worried about the financial side of things as we don't have a mortgage.
    We haven't made up our minds on whether we will stay in Ireland but we will all have Australian passports so will always have the option to move back to Australia if it doesn't work out.
    Why not just do the degree in Australia?


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    #37
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


    riffmongous wrote: »
    Why not just do the degree in Australia?

    Given serious consideration to that but done the maths and can't afford it. My wife's wages over here wouldn't be enough to support us especially if we had to pay for childcare for 2 kids without any family support.


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    #38
    Edward M
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,837 ✭✭✭Edward M


    Its hard to say for someone else what is the best for you or anyone but themselves.
    Personally I had higher ambitions,for myself here when younger, but events in life took over and I settled down with a woman and a kid.
    I have still always been happy and thankfully gainfully employed.
    My advice is look at it yourself and decide what you think is best and go with that.
    I find Ireland has always been good enough to me, and overall have no complaints about conditions here, but a family man who wants a degree can sometimes be a selfish outlook, particularly as if you have a good trade like electrical anyway. Remember if your degree puts you under financial pressure it is just not you it affects now, its your wife and kids too.
    Its funny when you look at it really, you're in oz, the land of opportunity and money making, yet to realise your real ambition you have to come home, because of the supports available here.
    I hope you get your degree, but equally I hope you remember where you got it and use it here, not just the system to get it and then fcuk back to oz or elsewhere to cash in on it as many do.


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    #39
    robp
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,934 ✭✭✭robp


    Ireland is still a great place but unfortunately is ruined by bad urban planning and a statist nanny political class who tries to restrict personal freedoms to no end while still giving in to ll the knee jerk PC nonsense.


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    #40
    Eggs For Dinner
    Registered Users Posts: 2,948 ✭✭✭Eggs For Dinner


    State of the HSE, cost of housing, everyone suing eachother for compo, charity bosses ripping off doners, gangland murders, corporate thieving etc are tolerable as long as we still have access to a bag of Tayto


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    #41
    downtheroad
    Registered Users Posts: 2,851 ✭✭✭downtheroad


    aido79 wrote: »
    Given serious consideration to that but done the maths and can't afford it. My wife's wages over here wouldn't be enough to support us especially if we had to pay for childcare for 2 kids without any family support.

    Have you researched the cost of doing the degree in Ireland? My wife and I moved back to Ireland from Australia a couple of years ago and she went to do a postgrad and was told she didn't qualify for EU resident fees as we had been living in Australia for a few years. Eventually she was able to prove EU residnecy with her Irish passport and that we had returned and were living here but it took a while.

    Also, Ireland is great to live in. The weather is grand, not as good as Australia obviously but sure the 40 degree days in Sydney can be horrible to go outside in as it's just far too hot.


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    #42
    Mrcaramelchoc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,795 ✭✭✭Mrcaramelchoc


    no.8 wrote: »
    Disagree (unless you are living out at sea that is). I would say its dynamic and changeable and there is plenty of sunshine at times

    Bollox.compared to Australia its ****e.

    Plenty of sunshine "at times" lol


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    #43
    2forjoy
    Registered Users Posts: 452 ✭✭2forjoy


    In Ireland you get what you pay for which is why it is expensive.
    If people just buy what they want and that's what they see .
    Irish people tend to buy a lot of junk.
    They won't pay for tap water but they will buy bottled water at the rate of about €10 per week.
    Come home and enjoy the Wild Irish countryside.


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    #44
    Pauliedragon
    Registered Users Posts: 2,521 ✭✭✭Pauliedragon


    aido79 wrote: »
    I have been living in Australia for the last 10 years but am planning on moving back to Ireland next year.
    From reading the news there seems to all sorts of crisis going on...health, housing etc.
    I will be moving back with my wife and 2 kids and am an electrician. I own a house there so I won't be affected by the housing crisis?
    I generally take most things on Facebook with a pinch of salt but the amount of negative comments on articles from Rte or other news sites makes Ireland seem like some third world economy. Are these comments being made by people who can never be satisfied no matter what is done by the government or is it the view of the majority of the population?
    I'm trying to keep an open mind but the negativity has me a bit worried.
    I came back a year ago after 18 years in Sydney and have no complaints (Winter was a struggle I'll admit but apparantly it was worse than most years.) I find Irish people very negative. Health system is a mess but It's been like that as long as I can remember. Housing is bad too but as you stated that's not an issue. Other than that it's a fine place to live. On the positive side compared to Sydney people are much more polite/friendlier. Food is fresher, cheaper and nicer. Having neighbours that look out for each other instead of a grunt. Even though people here complain about traffic it's a breeze compared to Sydney. Cork has more motorways than Sydney, work that one out. All in all both places have pluses and minuses but to repeat myself I do think a lot of Irish people are way too negative.


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    #45
    salmocab
    Registered Users Posts: 11,297 ✭✭✭✭salmocab


    Where you moving back to?
    What type of sparking do you do?
    Electrical industry is flying at the moment you wouldn’t have any hassle getting work even if it’s just the summer, I’m sure a small operator would be happy to have a guy available the odd Saturday and even the odd evening.


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    #46
    ChikiChiki
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,950 ✭✭✭ChikiChiki


    aido79 wrote: »
    I have been living in Australia for the last 10 years but am planning on moving back to Ireland next year.
    From reading the news there seems to all sorts of crisis going on...health, housing etc.
    I will be moving back with my wife and 2 kids and am an electrician. I own a house there so I won't be affected by the housing crisis?
    I generally take most things on Facebook with a pinch of salt but the amount of negative comments on articles from Rte or other news sites makes Ireland seem like some third world economy. Are these comments being made by people who can never be satisfied no matter what is done by the government or is it the view of the majority of the population?
    I'm trying to keep an open mind but the negativity has me a bit worried.

    You have your own house. No stress, mortgage free, a wonderful country to be in. On the other hand if your trying to get on the ladder with a mortgage, good luck with life!

    Personally, my opinion is people are far apathethic towards everything. Health and housing being prime examples.


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    #47
    ChikiChiki
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,950 ✭✭✭ChikiChiki


    Patww79 wrote: »
    It's grand. I hope people that stayed here and paid tax get a job ahead of you though.

    I stayed here and worked throughout the recession and left in 2017. Whats my job entitlement Pat?


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    #48
    KERSPLAT!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 31,152 ✭✭✭✭KERSPLAT!


    irishman86 wrote: »
    Ive just left Ireland but i found the economy was picking up again
    My friends in the construction industry all had work lined up for the year which hasnt been a thing in a while
    Like you said you have a house so avoid that and its crazy prices
    Having lived in Australia myself, would i leave there again if i was in your situation with a child. Not for a second
    I moved to Argentina so as my child can enjoy a proper outdoor childhood, that your kids will get in Australia.
    If its to see more of your family, you should read some stories about that. In the majority people end up very disappointed with this reason
    in short DONT LEAVE AUSTRALIA :pac:

    We don't have outdoors in Ireland?


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    #49
    suicide_circus
    Registered Users Posts: 19,802 ✭✭✭✭suicide_circus


    You have no mortgage, you have savings and an extremely in demand profession, you're laughing to be honest.


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    #50
    JustAThought
    Registered Users Posts: 5,324 ✭✭✭JustAThought


    I hope you have a plan for what job you hope to get with your new qualification in 3 or 4 years time when the country is awash with unemployed and highly qualified and experienced engineers.

    I didnt stay in Oz as the country didnt suit me but now am beginning to wonder - if you have a nice lifestyle,family and good quality of life over there I would be scratching my head as to why you would abandon it all to come back here when you already have a respected trade and livliehood. Race to the bottom here with salaries, quality of life and commute times usually poor unless you work in the sticks or start pre 7am, the taxes are crucifing (half your salary before you start paying for mortgage/childcare/insurance etc) and property tax set to rise again by a couple of hundred in 2019. I'd seriously be asking why. Is a minimum wage job at entry level in engineering in 4 years time and 4 years of scrimping and sacrifices really going to pay off - you wont get those years back.


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    #51
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    aido79 wrote:
    Thanks for all the replies... both the positive and the negative ones. My main reason for returning to Ireland apart from family is that I am planning on returning to college to get an engineering degree which will take 3 years full-time. This will mean that my wife will be the main breadwinner with family helping out with childcare. We have savings so not overly worried about the financial side of things as we don't have a mortgage. We haven't made up our minds on whether we will stay in Ireland but we will all have Australian passports so will always have the option to move back to Australia if it doesn't work out.

    I think you need to have lived in Ireland or an EU country for 3 years of the previous 5 years prior to starting a course to avail of free fees, otherwise you will have to fork out full fees, which could be anything from 5,000 and upwards a year, probably won't qualify for maintenance grant either.


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    #52
    Blaas4life
    Closed Accounts Posts: 198 ✭✭Blaas4life


    KERSPLAT! wrote: »
    We don't have outdoors in Ireland?

    Yes....but we have 8 - 10 month winters??

    Big difference if we were gaurenteed 3 to 4 months of good weather and you could plan weekends months ahead knowing it'll be more or less gaurenteed good weather?


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    #53
    steddyeddy
    Registered Users Posts: 27,564 ✭✭✭✭steddyeddy


    DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »
    Bit of a lost country.

    Tend to take off every fad from yanks and Brits. A lot of the regressive leftist culture especially.




    Not really a confident place or nation that runs smoothly.


    The real fun will start after Brexit goes through and the EU come after our Corporation tax. As an insignificant backwater we'll be hung out to dry.

    No friends. They're going to roll us.

    People who say that haven't lived in either place. It's nothing like America or Britain sans the fact we get their TV.


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    #54
    EdgeCase
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,471 ✭✭✭EdgeCase


    Since when have either the yanks or the Brits had a leftist culture? Clearly whoever posted that has never been to either place!


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    #55
    professore
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,857 ✭✭✭professore


    DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »
    Bit of a lost country.

    Tend to take off every fad from yanks and Brits. A lot of the regressive leftist culture especially.




    Not really a confident place or nation that runs smoothly.


    The real fun will start after Brexit goes through and the EU come after our Corporation tax. As an insignificant backwater we'll be hung out to dry.

    No friends. They're going to roll us.

    Arrah FFS. Was just in Italy on hols. Ireland is a paragon of efficiency compared to Italy. The regressive left stuff I agree with. They are the biggest danger we face at the moment. And you could have a point on the corporation tax.


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    #56
    KERSPLAT!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 31,152 ✭✭✭✭KERSPLAT!


    Blaas4life wrote: »
    Yes....but we have 8 - 10 month winters??

    Big difference if we were gaurenteed 3 to 4 months of good weather and you could plan weekends months ahead knowing it'll be more or less gaurenteed good weather?

    Embrace the weather, whatever it is. I spent today in the pissing rain having a water fight with a 3 year old. Best craic I've had in ages.


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    #57
    Blaas4life
    Closed Accounts Posts: 198 ✭✭Blaas4life


    KERSPLAT! wrote: »
    Embrace the weather, whatever it is. I spent today in the pissing rain having a water fight with a 3 year old. Best craic I've had in ages.

    I've no doubt it's good craic etc (I'm not a child friendly person anyway so prob not for me)....

    but there's no comparison to being gaurenteed good weather and say facing into weekend of hang gliding/kayaking (trying get some certs amd training for this here soon) etc in the warm weather and while everyone should embrace and enjoy the weather.....

    I personally prefer to so stuff outside in the warm weather


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    #58
    GottaGetGatt
    Registered Users Posts: 2,133 ✭✭✭GottaGetGatt


    Best of luck with Car Insurance when your moving back here.


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    #59
    EdgeCase
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,471 ✭✭✭EdgeCase


    Like most relatively wealthy countries, it has ups and downs.


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    #60
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


    Edward M wrote: »
    Its hard to say for someone else what is the best for you or anyone but themselves.
    Personally I had higher ambitions,for myself here when younger, but events in life took over and I settled down with a woman and a kid.
    I have still always been happy and thankfully gainfully employed.
    My advice is look at it yourself and decide what you think is best and go with that.
    I find Ireland has always been good enough to me, and overall have no complaints about conditions here, but a family man who wants a degree can sometimes be a selfish outlook, particularly as if you have a good trade like electrical anyway. Remember if your degree puts you under financial pressure it is just not you it affects now, its your wife and kids too.
    Its funny when you look at it really, you're in oz, the land of opportunity and money making, yet to realise your real ambition you have to come home, because of the supports available here.
    I hope you get your degree, but equally I hope you remember where you got it and use it here, not just the system to get it and then fcuk back to oz or elsewhere to cash in on it as many do.

    I have put a lot of thought into this and both my wife and have are in agreement that this is the best move.
    I definitely don't see wanting to get a degree as being selfish as it won't put me under financial stress. I'm not happy working as an electrician but think having both a trade and a related degree should set me up well for the future.
    What's funny about going back to Ireland to realise my real ambition? Yes there is plenty of money to be made in Australia but in general it involves spending a lot of time away from family in very remote areas which I have done for the last few years but am not prepared to do anymore with 2 young kids.
    I can't say for sure if I will stay in Ireland after I finish my degree. If we are enjoying living there as a family then I will stay however I'm not going to stay there and be miserable. Only time will tell.


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    #61
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


    downtheroad wrote: »
    Have you researched the cost of doing the degree in Ireland? My wife and I moved back to Ireland from Australia a couple of years ago and she went to do a postgrad and was told she didn't qualify for EU resident fees as we had been living in Australia for a few years. Eventually she was able to prove EU residnecy with her Irish passport and that we had returned and were living here but it took a while.

    Also, Ireland is great to live in. The weather is grand, not as good as Australia obviously but sure the 40 degree days in Sydney can be horrible to go outside in as it's just far too hot.

    Yeah I have researched and I'll have to pay EU fees.

    Most of my work is outdoors and frequently in temperatures in or around 40 degrees and it's something I won't miss.
    It's currently 3 degrees where I am now so I think I can adjust to Irish weather.


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