To be thinking I might move to rep of Ireland?

[headcandygrl]

Aibu to think of moving to Ireland?
I am fed up of the lack of jobs here in the U.K.!
There seems to be (from the little research I have done) more benefits there (child benefit is WAY more!) , better job opportunities, less of an effect on jobs due to Covid. I have seen on here that they don't pay council tax! No water bills either. As far as I can see they pay slightly more tax! So it kind of evens out! But wages are better...
The education system there doesn't seem to pigeonhole children for a young age! They don't have to pass GCSE equivalents to do the A LEVEL equivalent...
University costs are less!! They have a grant system that is not paid back!!

Am I looking over with rose tinted glasses?? Is this the reality?? Anyone in Ireland who can clarify details for me?

Now I know they don't have an NHS like ours but from what I can see it is somewhat free for those that need it!!?

Living here, it is also amazing to find our how little of Irish history I knew from school in England.

As someone with a British DH, this is something that blew my mind! Many elements of the Irish-British history just didn't seem to be covered in his school. Now maybe that's just that school, I don't know...but considering how closely the countries are linked it's a shame it isn't covered.

Living here, it is also amazing to find our how little of Irish history I knew from school in England.

Comments upthread, with no awareness about the CTA, seem to back this up.

An awful lot of my colleagues are from Ireland. None seem interested in going back

@Pyewhacket

An awful lot of my colleagues are from Ireland. None seem interested in going back

So? I work with lots of British people in Ireland. None seem interested in going back.

There are pluses and minuses too everywhere. People choose where they live based on what suits them best.

@ElspethFlashman @Barmbraic interesting that you’ve had different experiences, like I say, I’m not from ROI, so don’t know prices (and she’s a Cork GP, so may be more expensive there, I don’t know) but it did surprise me.

Ahh that's Dr Doireann O'Leary isn't it? She's a public figure so presumably fine to name her.

Lots of generalisation on this thread because every Irish person is the same.
Also I dont think irish people are as friendly as English 🤣
Nearly every other country in Europe and beyond would disagree.

I know all my neighbours here in England. There are street parties regularly. My irish friends don't know their neighbours beyond a quick hello
I know everyone on the estate and many from estates beside them.

@SionnachRua yes! I’m a fan, just wasn’t sure if many other people would have heard of her, and might have thought I was talking about a random GP friend if I had named her 😂

A few people have picked up on the comment: "Living here, it is also amazing to find our how little of Irish history I knew from school in England." I phrased that poorly. I'd re-phrase as there is a huge level of ignorance of Irish history in England :) Realistically, given England's colonial history, rise/fall of empire, world wars, etc. Ireland is a tiny part!

For sporting events too it's always fun to see my Irish friends shouting for Wales and Scotland to beat England. Doesn't happen too much though, so being an English rugby I often get the last laugh :)

@lurker101 That is the cost but there is a scheme were it works out at €140 max on the drug payment scheme everyone is entitled to it HSE cover the rest.

Oh Jesus Doireann O'Leary?

Ooooh she's problematic. Wasn't there some firestorm about her posting something fat phobic and linking Dunkin Donuts to getting Covid? And her surgery in Cork posted a statement saying she was no longer working for them and her comments were out of line?

@nicecoffeecup

A few people have picked up on the comment: "Living here, it is also amazing to find our how little of Irish history I knew from school in England." I phrased that poorly. I'd re-phrase as there is a huge level of ignorance of Irish history in England :) Realistically, given England's colonial history, rise/fall of empire, world wars, etc. Ireland is a tiny part!

For sporting events too it's always fun to see my Irish friends shouting for Wales and Scotland to beat England. Doesn't happen too much though, so being an English rugby I often get the last laugh :)

While I appreciate English history is vast, I would have thought there would be more awareness of the English/Irish history given the troubles are recent enough in relative terms. I just find it surprising that people don't know more about it when British cities were getting bombed.

Also shocked at the generalisations on the thread! Ireland might be a smaller country than England - but there are still lots of different Counties and areas and each place is different

The generalising about how religious it is is nuts - it’s not the case at all - maybe in some rural schools - but in most cities that’s not the case at all - yes the schools are mostly catholic but it’s fine to opt out and hopefully it will move to more educate together school options in the next few years!

The amount of people giving out about how crap the health system is cus you have to pay - but you don’t even know the facts

People not knowing about the free movement agreement between both countries

Generalising people aren’t as friendly based on one experience living in one area ffs

I live in London - people aren’t friendly where I live - but I’ve went to other towns for a holiday or weekend away And people have been lovely and chatty

In the last house I lived I London before now the 2 next door neighbours were absolutely lovely - where I live now nobody even says hello (I only moved 20 mins away) it’s hit and miss!

Don’t state facts about a place you’ve never lived - and don’t generalise about a whole country based on your experience in one town you lived in years ago it’s ridiculous and not accurate if the whole country

@EmeraldShamrock thanks, good to know. @ElspethFlashman oohhhh that’s got me interested....off to have a google, thanks 😊

I’m late to this party, but having lived in London for 10 years before returning to Dublin I’m inclined to comment.

You do pay for everything in Ireland. And tax is extortionate for what you get back. It’s honestly amazing how much money gets frittered away here. I’m not sure how they do it.

However, our particular circumstances mean that we feel better off in ROI. We’re high enough earners, but not excessively so. We can afford a decentish family home, close to the centre of Dublin in a way that we couldn’t have in London.

Private school is much cheaper in ROI, it’ll be easily within reach. I have good health insurance through work. The working culture is not quite as intense as London (though far from a walk in the park).

Both Dublin and Cork are brilliant cities with thriving industry and gorgeous countryside on their doorsteps. That’s not to knock the others, but the job opportunities are here.

Im glad our kids will grow up in ROI. After that, we’ll see.

@TheKeatingFive

I’m late to this party, but having lived in London for 10 years before returning to Dublin I’m inclined to comment.

You do pay for everything in Ireland. And tax is extortionate for what you get back. It’s honestly amazing how much money gets frittered away here. I’m not sure how they do it.

However, our particular circumstances mean that we feel better off in ROI. We’re high enough earners, but not excessively so. We can afford a decentish family home, close to the centre of Dublin in a way that we couldn’t have in London.

Private school is much cheaper in ROI, it’ll be easily within reach. I have good health insurance through work. The working culture is not quite as intense as London (though far from a walk in the park).

Both Dublin and Cork are brilliant cities with thriving industry and gorgeous countryside on their doorsteps. That’s not to knock the others, but the job opportunities are here.

Im glad our kids will grow up in ROI. After that, we’ll see.

Just wondering do you feel private school is particularly necessary here? I would have thought the public school system was fairly alright. I can't imagine having to pay for school!

Not necessary, no. But the state secondaries are patchy where I am and I’d consider the private schools well worth the price they charge.

@TheKeatingFive

Not necessary, no. But the state secondaries are patchy where I am and I’d consider the private schools well worth the price they charge.

I didn't think there were any particularly bad schools here tbh but have only lived in two places so I suppose experience is limited that way. I'm hoping my daughter goes into a new secondary so there won't be a track record but fingers crossed.

I didn't think there were any particularly bad schools here tbh but have only lived in two places so I suppose experience is limited that way. I'm hoping my daughter goes into a new secondary so there won't be a track record but fingers crossed.

I think it really varies place by place. I went to one of the top schools (god that makes me sound up myself - but you know what I mean, high up the Irish Times rankings). My experience of school was very different to friends from the countryside who just went to the local school and different again from those who went to tough Dublin schools.

Ok I'll bit. Am Irush, emigrated to London for 25 years then moved back two years ago so can offer valid observations.

Welfare system here is excellent. I know families who live in nice houses with two cars with both parents unemployed.

Education is better ( I'm very involved in education as I was in UK).
Health is a fortune of you work if you dont it's free. If you dont work you will also get full rent allowance, free uni and about 210 a week plus a very generous uncapped children's allowance.

UK better for parks, cities, and all.other benefits that come from urban areas. I loved London.

@SionnachRua

I didn't think there were any particularly bad schools here tbh but have only lived in two places so I suppose experience is limited that way. I'm hoping my daughter goes into a new secondary so there won't be a track record but fingers crossed.

I think it really varies place by place. I went to one of the top schools (god that makes me sound up myself - but you know what I mean, high up the Irish Times rankings). My experience of school was very different to friends from the countryside who just went to the local school and different again from those who went to tough Dublin schools.

Afaik my old school got mentioned in the lists. I absolutely hated it with a vengeance though. Academically very good but totally woeful for pastoral care (imo).

Welfare system here is excellent. I know families who live in nice houses with two cars with both parents unemployed
Really?

Education is better ( I'm very involved in education as I was in UK).
Health is a fortune of you work if you dont it's free
Yes but the risk of death is higher due to long public waiting lists.
If you dont work you will also get full rent allowance Again not true you receive an amount based on family size and area see Hap.ie rent allowance is being phased out my friend a single mother adds 600 to rent out of her monthly €950.
Free uni Not sure. and about 210 a week plus a very generous uncapped children's allowance Depending on how many DC £80 vrs €140 taking cost of living into consideration.
If unemployed you still pay for books, stationary, school trips from DC allowance.
Thankfully we're both working. The welfare system is generous but not to that extreme.

I’m Irish. Haven’t read the full thread.
I left over 20 years ago to do a PhD.
Thought I’d get a job here (in academia), didn’t happen. I was a bit shocked by how better educated I was (at that level) than the British students- but that’s a niche area and observation.
My family live in Ireland- they all whinge about the cost of living etc but even when I had my highest paid job (non academic!) it was nothing in comparison to my siblings who went into roles that didn’t require a professional degree/etc. They are all very smart.
Their disposable income is always greater than mine.
Having said that, I’d never ever go back

It's no easy ride being unemployed in Ireland. It's not the worst, but it's definitely not a meal ticket imo. Nor should it be. But I do think you get no credit for having worked previously. I don't like the attitude that you're some sort of lazy work avoiding prick all of a sudden because you're unemployed.