The rental market is awful. Awful. I am southside (and stuck here due to work) but we rented recently and it was a total nightmare. Not sure if it is any easier now or better on the northside. We ended up finding a short term let (1-2 years) so hoping we will find something to buy.
Everyone I know who rents here (this is not just a recent thing - talking about last 10/20 years) ends up moving constantly. Unless you get social housing the private rental market is just not stable. But at least you could find reasonably priced rentals before a year or two back, now it is just a nightmare. We got ONE response from an estate agent in about 6 months of looking, aothough it is true we were looking in small area. If you are not too picky about area you should be ok. But see what sort of responses you get from Estate agents on daft, that should give you an idea of current climate. If you are just looking short term it may be easier, that is my experience. If planning to try and get a local mortgage talk to the banks now to make sure you are filling any criteria.
There are lots of nice areas on the northside although I haven't lived there. I agree live on an estate or side road, we have lived on main roads and they are awful for social reasons.
Look into educate together schools for schools. Most people I know are very happy with them.
Healthcare is ok, in some ways better than NHS from what I hear. We have private insurance (VHI) and we get refunded GP visits, physios, specialists etc.
It's pretty easy to get a GP appointment although lots of practices are full and not taking new patients. But once you get refused by three practices the HSE will force one of them to take you.
If you are sick or goivng birth Irish nurses and midwives are the best. 😍