To think that life seems better in rep of ireland?

[PunnyOliveTurtle]

ok...hear me out...My DM is Irish and she has not been home in a good few years, I haven't been over since I was 15, I'm early 40's now. So i decided to bring her over to visit her sisters as they are all getting older...late 60s/early 70's.

I had a wonderful time. I caught up with all of my cousins...and here is where I noticed the divide...they all have gorgeous homes and I mean stunning! Some in the country, some in the town, all fab new builds or gutted and updated old houses. A couple in new housing estates which were FAB!!
One of my cousins has just bought a new home...her DH is driving a 2025 car, they are off on hols next week. I asked her if she won the lotto and she laughed saying she wished, savings are now depleted and she was "broke". I know she has no credit cards because she metioned that she didn't have one when we wer talking about booking dinner somewhere and they wanted to take a deposit.

They all have great jobs...a lot of them are teachers...like i was. But they are no where near as stressed as I was. They are on holidays already and have been with a few weeks.Some are nurses but work part time in private hospitals, others work in big pharma companies, banking etc.Their dh's also have great jobs, engineers, managers in tech/pharma, one owns a construction company, one is a farmer.
All and I mean ALL of their DC who are of uni age are in university...no student loans. They have a grant scheme apparently. None of my cousins themselves have student loans...they are in 30's to mid 50's. (Can you tell we had an in depth discussion on uni and fees etc!)
Their DC aged 15+ all have summer jobs...in a local chippy, local cafe, one on a farm etc. My 18 yr old cant get a job at all!!

Everything just seemed so positive there...and im sure its not but I cant put my finger on it...it really got me.
I'm struggling most months...this trip was part on credit card. DD looking to start uni and i dont know how I'm going to help her... I know they say dont compare and I know there must be those struggling in Ireland too but there seemed to be A LOT more money being thrown around.

You're looking at it all through rose tinted, skewed lenses.

The school holidays start earlier but also end earlier. Property is generally cheaper. My friend moved over from Ireland from a massive 4 bed detached with loads of land, rooms were all big etc and was shocked to find they could only buy a 3 bed semi here on an estate for the same cash.

Lots of people here do the jobs you've listed. Most of my friends do those jobs. Me and my husband do those jobs.

I'm not struggling financially and nor are lots of the people in my social circles but we all have different lifestyles and prioritise spending in different areas.

It’s a much wealthier country than the UK now. You can tell just from the infrastructure- smooth roads, no potholes, lovely homes, and it’s clean. Teachers for example earn a lot more. The prices of food and eating out is no more expensive than the UK.

Yes! I found it absolutely no different! It’s crazy

The infrastructure was paid for, like a lot of poorer European countries by EU money. That's come to an end.

Op look at Ireland's recent history, the Celtic tiger years, the number of unfinished houses, the continuing disspora which stretches back to the potato famine.

There is also the very real potential that if a hard right government comes into the UK it will do what chould have been done when Brexit was negotiated and use Ireland as a bargaining chip and potentially levie tariffs on goods coming through the UK which would decimate the Irish economy.

Depends where you are in Ireland. Around Dublin the house prices are shocking and there's a huge shortage of housing.

I was a teacher there

School holidays last week of June
They go back around last day of August
Much longer than uk

Secondary schools get 3 months

I think in many ways yes the salaries are higher but the cost of living is much higher too

They currently have a housing crisis

Friends who have built had to take 35 year mortgages their houses cost 600-700 k to build (yea they had the land to build on but huge mortgages(

Loads have brand new cars on HP

We have other problems. Its impossible to buy a house these days, prices are so high. Even finding somewhere to rent is incredibly difficult. There were only 600 properties advertised to rent for the whole country last month!

I can't get over the price of rent there

Dublin is just out of the question now 3k for some small very poor apartments

Wtaf

Dublin is a shithole
Sorry any Dubliners
It has gone downhill with crime

Teachers definitely don’t get as much hassle in Ireland, I really appreciate them and let them get on with it, it’s a hard job but we don’t have the kind of hassle with taking kids out of school etc for holidays here. You are allowed to take 20 days off (I think) before any questions are asked really. It’s a bit more laid back and also no school fees.

Not perfect though, this is just one part to compare your life to and you have free doctors and prescriptions etc. I’m glad you had a nice holiday but honestly when you go on holidays, you see the best of the place. 💕

I’d say if you’re well off maybe yes, but yes there’s a shortage of homes and also a lot of unrest and racism aimed at immigrants. Dublin City centre is full of crime and is a no go at night.

We went there on holiday two years ago and noticed the quality of life was better than in the UK, and also things like the streets were cleaner and everywhere looked better kept like public parks and public toilets actually open!
They are definitely a richer country than the UK now.

Having a 25 plate car doesn't mean you own it. Most new cars are PCP deals and just means someone owes someone else 40k forvtheir new family car

Ireland is certainly a lot wealthier than the UK, GDP per capita is roughly twice what it is in the UK I think.

I don't live in Ireland (and never have) but in the big cities it certainly seems much more alive and optimistic than in Britain.

That said, everywhere has its problems. There are racial tensions there, a rise in hostility toward immigrants a colleague who is Irish tells me house prices are punitive in Dublin. I don't think it's necessarily the promised land. But if I had family there I'd be tempted to try to make a life there right now.

I have good friends there and the lifestyle is definitely better if you can get over the fact that dublin is a tiny capital city with not a whole lot going on.

that said the private schools in Dub are stuffed full of the kids of Brit/irish couples who spent their early professional careers in London and have returned home for what they perceive to be a much better way of life.

The housing crisis is much worse than the UK. Supply is really limited, lending is still curtailed, people need enormous deposits, and even with that there's very little to buy.

Salaries are higher, but everything is much more expensive here, you pay for literally everything. Taxes are higher than the UK and you don't get anything like the services.

I look at Northern Ireland (my family see all from there) and can't believe his much cheaper it is to live there.

Having said that, some things are better. Although people are busy and time pressured, family life is valued more. Kids seem happier, less pressurised and there's a huge amount of emphasis on sports and getting outdoors.

If you're a teacher, I'd agree it's much preferable to the UK, especially outside the city centres. Better pay, longer holidays, much more relaxed. The medical professionals are much better paid here too.

So pros and cons, like everywhere.

You pay 50 euro to see a GP and 100 euro to go to ED.

What you’re seeing is the effect of Brexit. Yes, RoI also has problems with housing prices (one could argue it’s even worse here in many areas of the country) — but our currency has devalued by around 40 percent and our cost of living has increased dramatically at the same time, meaning that in the last decade we have become gradually poorer compared to many of the EU countries we once were richer than.

The UK’s economic decline and tatty, shabby infrastructure was already on the way down under the Tories, but Brexit has had a huge impact. Like boiled frogs we didn’t quite notice while it was happening; but now if you go to other EU countries, even with their own economic challenges, the difference in the day to day standard of living, public services and spaces, faculties and infrastructure between the EU and U.K. is really quite marked.

Still in the EU - the UK by a small percentage on one day nearly a decade ago decided we no longer wished to be part of all that nonsense

You weren't in Dublin then! Streets are manky here!

I pay €70 in Dublin to see a GP

I'm a teacher in Ireland . My wages are very good (around 82,000 and am deputy principal of a small school )I only stay a couple of hours after school one afternoon a week .
I love my job and while I wouldn't say it's stress free it is nothing like what I read on here. I won't go into school until the day before we go back this summer.
Schools tend to be a lot less pressurised and teachers that have trained in England and come back would speak of the long hours.

Saying that I do love visiting the UK, London is amazing and have traveled a lot around the South West.

Dublin City centre is definitely not ‘no-go at night’. What total nonsense. I am in my 40s and regularly socialise in the city centre at night.

65 in Cork but you usually will get in either the same day or definitely the next day.

Irish universities are cheaper. She should look there.

In my experience ( friends and family) Irish people are, on average, more upbeat and carefree than English or Scottish people. They seem to worry less and not look for the problems all the time. It’s a really healthy attitude.

My eldest who is 26 has just moved into a house share in Dublin. €800 per month but that includes bills so she's lucky! She's sharing with 8 other young professionals. She does have her own en-suite shower room which is a big plus. The landlord seemingly looks after the place well. They have 3 fridges, two washing machines, a dryer and a large back garden. My niece is paying €1300 a month plus €150 bills in Cork for a glorified granny flat.