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

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    #62
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


    Pauliedragon wrote: »
    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.

    I will try to ignore the negativity as much as I can. I'm lucky that where I live in Australia there is not alot of traffic and neighbours actually speak to each other.


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    #63
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


    salmocab wrote: »
    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.

    Moving back to Cavan. I've done housing and commercial in the past but most of my recent experience is in heavy industrial/mining and instrumentation.
    I'd definitely be hoping that I could pick up a bit of work on the side while I'm studying so that sounds promising.


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    #64
    salmocab
    Registered Users Posts: 11,287 ✭✭✭✭salmocab


    aido79 wrote: »
    Moving back to Cavan. I've done housing and commercial in the past but most of my recent experience is in heavy industrial/mining and instrumentation.
    I'd definitely be hoping that I could pick up a bit of work on the side while I'm studying so that sounds promising.

    Best of luck, I’d say you’ll be grand and we’ve recently installed a decent summer.


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    #65
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


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

    I have no problem with that as long as they have the right qualifications and experience. From what I'm hearing there aren't too many unemployed electricians in Ireland at the minute. If they start hiring people to work as electricians just because they stayed in Ireland and paid tax but aren't qualified electricians I will start to wonder.


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    #66
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,698 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    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.

    Eh?

    Having lived outside the EU for so long, you will be paying non-EU fees.

    If ypur wife got sick, she won'tbe eligible for any benefits for a year or two (check the habitual residence requirement).

    Car insurance will cost you a fortune, too.

    I can't see that adding up for you.


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    #67
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


    Mrs OBumble wrote: »
    Eh?

    Having lived outside the EU for so long, you will be paying non-EU fees.

    If ypur wife got sick, she won'tbe eligible for any benefits for a year or two (check the habitual residence requirement).

    Car insurance will cost you a fortune, too.

    I can't see that adding up for you.

    According to this I can still qualify for EU fees:

    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/fees.html

    "Since September 2014, an Irish, EU, EEA or Swiss student who has spent at least five years in primary school or second level school in Ireland can avail of EU fee rates."

    We'll take our chances. I don't even know if we'd qualify for benefits in Australia if one of us got sick.

    We have got fairly reasonable insurance quotes already. Not as cheap as we'd like but not enough to put us off moving back.

    What can you not see adding up? You have no idea of my savings or incomes so how can you know it doesn't add up?


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    #68
    Franz Von Peppercorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    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?

    Ack that’s nonsense. I cycle or walk to work most days and rain is infrequent.


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    #69
    Franz Von Peppercorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    GottaGetGatt wrote: »
    Best of luck with Car Insurance when your moving back here.

    That’s a genuine issue. It affected me when I came home from the UK as I had never been insured here.


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    #70
    Blaas4life
    Closed Accounts Posts: 198 ✭✭Blaas4life


    Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »
    Ack that’s nonsense. I cycle or walk to work most days and rain is infrequent.

    You deffo don't live in the seriously misrepresentive sunny south east.....it literally rained/snowed from early October to may


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    #71
    mrhoppy
    Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭mrhoppy


    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.

    The government has not done anything good for Ireland for the last 14 years, and even then, the most they did was ban smoking in public places.

    If you wanted to live in the EU I’d recommend moving to somewhere with actual economic and geopolitical importance, like the UK, Germany or France. You’d be far more likely to get a job in your field in those sort of places.

    As for “third world economy” - Ireland’s economy only contributes to 0.44% of the world’s economy, meaning it contributes less than Nigeria as of this year


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    #72
    somefeen
    Registered Users Posts: 1,657 ✭✭✭somefeen


    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?

    What the point of raising your kids outdoors if your afraid of the Irish winter/summer.
    Like it rains a lot, just adapt to it. Its really not that restrictive


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    #73
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


    mrhoppy wrote: »
    The government has not done anything good for Ireland for the last 14 years, and even then, the most they did was ban smoking in public places.

    If you wanted to live in the EU I’d recommend moving to somewhere with actual economic and geopolitical importance, like the UK, Germany or France. You’d be far more likely to get a job in your field in those sort of places.

    As for “third world economy” - Ireland’s economy only contributes to 0.44% of the world’s economy, meaning it contributes less than Nigeria as of this year

    A lot of the reason for the move is that I don't want a job in my field hence the reason I'm returning to college.


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    #74
    Franz Von Peppercorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    mrhoppy wrote: »
    The government has not done anything good for Ireland for the last 14 years, and even then, the most they did was ban smoking in public places.

    If you wanted to live in the EU I’d recommend moving to somewhere with actual economic and geopolitical importance, like the UK, Germany or France. You’d be far more likely to get a job in your field in those sort of places.

    As for “third world economy” - Ireland’s economy only contributes to 0.44% of the world’s economy, meaning it contributes less than Nigeria as of this year

    That’s not how you work out how rich a country is.


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    #75
    mrhoppy
    Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭mrhoppy


    aido79 wrote: »
    A lot of the reason for the move is that I don't want a job in my field hence the reason I'm returning to college.

    What is it you’d like to do?


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    #76
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


    mrhoppy wrote: »
    What is it you’d like to do?

    Automation/ mechatronic engineering.


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    #77
    salmocab
    Registered Users Posts: 11,287 ✭✭✭✭salmocab


    aido79 wrote: »
    Automation/ mechatronic engineering.

    I’d check out mrhoppys thread about how much he hates Ireland before engaging.


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    #78
    mickoneill31
    Registered Users Posts: 855 ✭✭✭mickoneill31


    I lived in Australia from 2001 - 2006. I remember some friends visiting in 2005 and telling me some horror stories. I said I didn't remember it being that bad. One of my friends said "It's not, but there are a lot of whingers".

    That sums it up for me. There are a lot of whingers. You either hang around them and become like them or you associate with more positive people. Guess which group tend to do better?
    One sits there and blames everybody else, the other knuckles down and moves on.

    And we have some populist politicians that try to capitalise off the negativity. They really don't help. But every country has those too.

    Ireland isn't perfect. There are lots of problems but if you've been living in Australia for a few years I'm sure you see problems down there that we're not aware of. Every country has loads. Some people just like to focus on them.

    We came back in 2006 and haven't looked back. There are loads of opportunities here. You will be at an advantage if you're positive. And the degree will help.


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    #79
    Jim Bob Scratcher
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,231 ✭✭✭Jim Bob Scratcher


    Every country has problems, but Ireland's is tame in comparison to the the majority of countries on this planet, hopefully it stays that way.


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    #80
    Edward M
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,837 ✭✭✭Edward M


    aido79 wrote: »
    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.

    Then why the thread at all?
    Your minds made up, you've already thought it out, I'm sure you already know the situation here and have your opinions formed about attitudes about conditions here gathered from threads you have participated in yourself!
    As I said Ireland has always been good to me, it is to anyone who wants to work for their needs.
    Simply by reading your posts on here it has to be better for you, you can't afford your degree in Australia, but you can here, if your mind is set on the degree then you have only one option!


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    #81
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


    Edward M wrote: »
    Then why the thread at all?
    Your minds made up, you've already thought it out, I'm sure you already know the situation here and have your opinions formed about attitudes about conditions here gathered from threads you have participated in yourself!
    As I said Ireland has always been good to me, it is to anyone who wants to work for their needs.
    Simply by reading your posts on here it has to be better for you, you can't afford your degree in Australia, but you can here, if your mind is set on the degree then you have only one option!

    Yes my mind is made up. I'm just looking for people's opinions as social media tend to portray life in Ireland in a bad light especially when it comes to the economy.
    Why do you think I have already formed my own opinion? I haven't lived in Ireland for 10 years. What's wrong with asking people who live in Ireland for their opinions?


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    #82
    whisky_galore
    Registered Users Posts: 15,781 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    Ireland is a great country to live in but at the same time we shouldn't be content with mediocrity or things that are clearly fcuked up like health and housing by sweeping problems under the carpet in a typical 'shur it'll be grand' manner.


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    #83
    Edward M
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,837 ✭✭✭Edward M


    aido79 wrote: »
    Yes my mind is made up. I'm just looking for people's opinions as social media tend to portray life in Ireland in a bad light especially when it comes to the economy.
    Why do you think I have already formed my own opinion? I haven't lived in Ireland for 10 years. What's wrong with asking people who live in Ireland for their opinions?

    So you come to social media for its opinion?


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    #84
    barneygumble99
    Registered Users Posts: 4,122 ✭✭✭barneygumble99


    Ireland is a beautiful country, but for me it’s dependent on the weather, can seem so miserable when it’s raining and cold etc but over the past 4 weeks it’s been great to get out and do outdoorsy stuff like hiking, kayaking etc
    People are in better form and things are generally upbeat.

    The things that I don’t like would be the amount of litter thrown around the place, it really is disgusting at this stage. Also, the amount of little scrotes just hanging around the place, teens and pre-teens just sitting around doing f-all all day during the summer especially, with their socks up around their tracksuits and the hands down the front of them.

    That said , there are a lot of good people in Ireland and people who genuinely want to make things work and will help you without being asked.

    You read about the housing, healthcare etc but a lot of those problems are caused by people who just don’t want to work and want free everything. The big issue is that the government seems to prioritise these wasters.


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    #85
    doolox
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,350 ✭✭✭doolox


    Ireland has 0.07% of the worlds population so that by accounting for 0.44% of the worlds economic activity we are actually punching well above our weight. Our policies do not involve much to do with morally shady sectors like arms and shady international trading. Our biggest fault would be our low corporate tax rates and arrangements which are now being called out by our trading partners as unfair. This will cripple us in the future as we become less attractive for foreign direct investment, (FDI).

    We rank very high in per capita income but this does not accurately reflect the feeling of well being among ordinary people in the country. I believe Ireland has a higher rate of disability than the international rate and also higher rates of functional illiteracy and low educational outcomes among more of its peoples than many international competitors we have to compete with. This drags earnings down for the entire society. There are many very rich people also in many sectors well able to leverage their advantages better than in most other countries and this inflates per capita figures and distorts the true picture for most ordinary people. I have found that medical, legal and educational costs are much higher here than in Europe and Insurance and loan rates are also very high due in no small part to greater risks of claims and defaults and high legal costs of enforcement and reparation of defaults. We are an unequal society, though not as blatant as the UK and the US in that regard.

    This labour shortage is being jerry rigged with foreign workers brought in to do the hard jobs that the native Irish do not want to do. Also many Irish go abroad for more pay when they get qualified leaving scarcities at home. Another aspect of high per capita earnings is that a lot of the money earned is sent abroad by foreign workers to support families in their own countries and the benefit of these earnings are not felt in Ireland. This over reliance on foreign investment and foreign labour makes us far less powerful and resilient than most other countries. We are however more secure in water land and food resources than most but now lack the basic subsistence skills of many middle developed countries, while we wont die of thirst in an economic downturn we may well go hungry until enough people take up farming at a family level again...Other countries will not be as fortunate.

    Australia suffered more than most in the last Great depression because of its scarce food and especially water resources and the need to import many of its basic needs from other countries. In this regard, New Zealand is in a better position, more farmland for less people, more rain, more fertility and less desert. Australia is surprisingly urban and multiracial and this can lead to more dependence on high money earnings just to survive. In the OP's case having close family support in hard times in Ireland may be a better place to be than higher cash earnings in Australia, especially with small kids to maintain.


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    #86
    salmocab
    Registered Users Posts: 11,287 ✭✭✭✭salmocab


    Aido is an Irishman returning home I don’t think anyone needs to tell him about the weather, he was asking peoples general thoughts on the state of the country at the moment.

    Housing and health are the two big issues, as your sorted for housing health is probably the thing to think about.


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    #87
    JustAThought
    Registered Users Posts: 5,323 ✭✭✭JustAThought


    aido79 wrote: »
    According to this I can still qualify for EU fees:

    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/fees.html

    "Since September 2014, an Irish, EU, EEA or Swiss student who has spent at least five years in primary school or second level school in Ireland can avail of EU fee rates."

    We'll take our chances. I don't even know if we'd qualify for benefits in Australia if one of us got sick.

    We have got fairly reasonable insurance quotes already. Not as cheap as we'd like but not enough to put us off moving back.

    What can you not see adding up? You have no idea of my savings or incomes so how can you know it doesn't add up?

    Savings and personal finances aside, are you sure you have read this correctly? If you have been living in Oz for the past 10 years then you do not qualify, for even EU fees, under the criteria listed in your link which state that if you do not qualify under residency or refugee status that you must have been RESIDENT for at least the preceding 3 years in an EU country or Switzerlamd to qualify for EU fees. Does this also aplly to the 2014 change in legislation as I think along with other changes to SW to prevent SW tourism that it may. You may not qualify under these rules.


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    #88
    Topgear on Dave
    Registered Users Posts: 4,527 ✭✭✭Topgear on Dave


    Aido

    Come on home and see if it works for you, you have somewhere to live already and as an electrician Id say you would be busy.

    Ireland has its problems like any other country.
    Huge housing problems alright but its a side effect of planning laws, increasing population and an economy that is doing fairly well right now.
    Weather is dullish, wet and boring most of the time, but we do not have the typhoons, earthquakes, 40 degree summers or threat of military invasion/mandatory military service of other countries that I have worked in.


    Ignore the comments on social media. I dont have the facebook but I see some folks on twitter whos comments are an unending stream of negativity every single day, it would grind you down to read them. This is not the behaviour of people i meet in day to day life here.


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    #89
    Franz Von Peppercorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    Edward M wrote: »
    So you come to social media for its opinion?

    His request is perfectly sane. He is reading a lot of negativity about Ireland abd wants to know how true it is.

    This isn’t social media.


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    #90
    Franz Von Peppercorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    JustAThought wrote: »
    Savings and personal finances aside, are you sure you have read this correctly? If you have been living in Oz for the past 10 years then you do not qualify, for even EU fees, under the criteria listed in your link which state that if you do not qualify under residency or refugee status that you must have been RESIDENT for at least the preceding 3 years in an EU country or Switzerlamd to qualify for EU fees. Does this also aplly to the 2014 change in legislation as I think along with other changes to SW to prevent SW tourism that it may. You may not qualify under these rules.

    It’s badly written. The piece at the end about the 5 years education seems to trump the previous criteria about having to be here 3 out of the 5 years but it’s not definite.


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    #91
    aido79
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 5,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭aido79


    salmocab wrote: »
    Aido is an Irishman returning home I don’t think anyone needs to tell him about the weather, he was asking peoples general thoughts on the state of the country at the moment.

    Housing and health are the two big issues, as your sorted for housing health is probably the thing to think about.

    Yes that's exactly right. I lived in Ireland previously for 28 years and am well aware that it rains there and there is a massive difference in weather between Australia and Ireland 😀
    On the subject of health. Is it worth getting health insurance?


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