scot47

So you are an emigrant and you are complaining about being surrounded by other migrants ? Think about that one !

London Irish

The difference is; I am an Irish citizen, and they are not. When I first came here, I thought being Irish would mean something in Ireland. But now the Irish are just the same as any EU citizen. Yes, I am complaining about being surrounded by other migrants. Reason being, I wanted to live in Ireland; surrounded by Irish, not Brazilians and Polish etc.
I feel Irish not British nor European you see. But of course I am all three in reality. I suppose what I am looking for, no longer exists in Ireland. I preferred when Ireland was Irish, with fewer immigrants. But now its multicultural, and as time goes on; will become more so whether I like it or not.
I can do nothing to change this, that is just the way it is. So yes I do complain as it's all I can do. I have had enough working and living with non-national immigrants here. So I moved to a smaller town which feels more Irish, and less multicultural. But in the last 3 years I have seen even my small town change; with more new-Irish moving here for cheaper rents.
In my estate for example, we have a Kurd and Iraqi married couple. They both came to Ireland as refugees 12 years ago. Now they are Irish citizens, and like me hold Irish passports. They get their dole on a Wednesday, same as I do; same as every EU citizen.
You see when I emigrated here in 2010 I didn't think I would have a Kurd or Iraqi refugee neighbour. I thought I would have an Irish one.
I always felt Irish living in England, and that is what I yearned for; to be around my own people, Irish people.
So is it wrong for an Irish citizen to complain about his country; Ireland, changing into something he doesn't like? No, it isn't.
Emigration was great for my parents in 1960, they have a great life now in England; better than they would have in Ireland. Emigration for me in 2010 hasn't been as good the reverse way round. So I see both sides of the coin. Its good for some, and bad for others. If one emigrates in economic boom, then its good of course. But if one emigrates in economic bust then its bad of course. And that is something many overlook, just as I did. There is nothing wrong with emigrating from the UK to Ireland, providing its during boom not bust. I just came here in 2010 at the wrong time that's all. Now its 7 years since the end of the Celtic Tiger boom, and its just the fall out and recovery from that before the next boom starts again.
When a country is bust, then of course there will be more immigrants; that's always been the case as people move around for work and a better life.
My options are to tough it out here for say another 5 years until things pick up, or go back to the UK. I could keep quiet about my observations, but I choose to complain as it may be of interest to those thinking of moving here.
You see, often on here you have 2 types of people; those who dream of doing it, and those who have who sugar coat everything as they are on their 2 year honeymoon period. Neither are reality.
The perspective I offer, is reality from someone at street level living here for 5 years. I was the dreamer, then the honeymooner, and now I am in reality as an Irish citizen living here. What I see is how it really is.
Don't get me wrong, I know some people that have retired here from the UK and love it. UK pension, no mortgage, money in the bank, life is good for them. Work isn't a consideration for them. But do they complain about the influx of non-national immigrants, yes they do. And ironically they are immigrants themselves. Its human nature to complain, immigrant or otherwise.
For example, my parents have lived in England for the last 45 years. And now they are complaining about all the immigrants in the UK, and yet in 1960 they did the same; emigrated to the UK!

jonboy

Oh! London Irish, you were born at the wrong time and do not like the competition. Well fair enough, complain away, you are ticked off with your lot.

BEVS

I'm a bit confused by what you are writing. I say that as someone entitled to an Irish passport/ citizenship because of Irish parentage. However I was born in England and that makes me English. My Irish relatives in Ireland see me as English. In the 50's and 60's Irish people in England were seen as unwelcome immigrants. Believe me, I was a child of those times and remember. If I were to go live in Ireland , that would mean I emigrated as an immigrant and that is exactly what I would be, along with anyone that moved to Ireland from their country of origin.

So what is it that you are saying here? Countries these years are often full of all sorts of nationalities that have migrated around the globe.

Did you think that Ireland would only take a certain type of immigrant? Do you think that Ireland should operate a type of pecking order?

They will take their quota of refugees and I see nothing wrong with that. They are part of the EU so there are free borders. You only hold the Irish passport because of an accident of birth, just like myself.

I may have read all your posts slightly incorrectly and what you are cautioning is about not having known or understood about the cost of living, job prospects and services in your new chosen country. In which case , you have my sympathy. So many of us immigrants fail to see the country we wish to emigrate to with 100% totally sensible, practical eyes. Warts and all.

Shaunandelly

Nothing wrong with competition. Nepotism and a blind eye to black market practices is not real competition. It's "we're going to try and deflate the private sector costs whilst looking after the boyos"

BEVS

I hear that and understand. The thing is there is the exact same here in New Zealand . The saying is "It is who you know , not what you know" & cash jobs are certainly what keeps quite a load of wheels turning in NZ.

Nepotism indicates that it is jobs for the boys within the family or extended known community. Some of the posts here indicate it is jobs for the wanted / unwanted immigrants which includes the OP.

The two are opposite.

Shaunandelly

Thanks,I know that. Op was complaining about both.

London Irish

Agreed, you sound a bit confused.
I don't regard being born as an accident; whether it was in Ireland or England. I was my parents second child, and they had been married for 12 years by that stage; so I think they had family planning and accidents sorted by that stage.
The; No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish, signs in boarding houses in the 1950's and 1960's, and anti-Irish sentiment is largely an urban myth. The reality is that the majority of English welcomed the cheap Irish labour in the 1950's as it was needed. The English firms, site managers, foremen, ganger men; all treated the Irish Navvies well. It was actually the Irish that exploited their own, not the English. My father worked for an English building firm for 20 years and was treated very well, they even gave him a gold watch when he left. From a 17 year old apprentice, to foreman, to site manager; when he left. Hardly giving him a hard time was it? He then left and joined an Irish firm, as saw the Irish exploiting their own, not helping them. The English and Irish got on fine on sites, the English hating the Irish in the 1950's is myth.
It was only when the IRA started a campaign of bombing mainland Britain that anti-Irish sentiment grew in England during the 1980's. But again most English were understanding, that not all Irish Catholic were pro-IRA. The Old Bailey and Canary Wharf bombings did more to ruin the relationship between English and Irish people in London, than anything during the 1950's and 1960's. The truth is the English didn't hate the Irish, with 1 million of us in London they couldn't do; we were needed in the NHS, London Transport, and to build the motorways, and tower blocks. The Irish Navvy built London in the 1960's.
I have second-generation Irish cousins, and its 50/50 whether they feel Irish or English. Half have British passports, and half have Irish ones. That is just the way it is with us plastic paddies.
Personally I always felt Irish, not English; but my sister lives in England and has a British passport. Different strokes for different folks at the end of the day.
To clarify my point, Ireland before the EEC (EU), was more Irish and less European; less multicultural. It was more like the 1960's Ireland my parents left behind, and the utopia they filled our heads up with as children of the 1970's and 1980's. Holidays here in the 1980's reinforced this utopia-like view of Ireland. Rural Ireland was nothing like the London of the 1980's we were used to, a complete culture shock; but a pleasant one all the same. We had freedom, and could do things that we couldn't in London. Like drink in pubs, drive cars around fields, swim in lakes, etc.
I suppose I always had that yearning to live here as I associated Ireland with pleasure, and a better way of life.
But in 2015 its very different to 1985. I have fond memories of the Punt, but now its the Euro, and its weaker against Sterling. I suppose what I wanted was to emigrate to a 1985 Ireland, not a 2010 one when I did.
That is progress I suppose, some say the EU has been good for Ireland, but personally I wish it had never joined the EEC, and still had the Punt. Yes it would have been broke without the billions of Euro the EU pumped in, but look where we are now; broke.
With regards to the immigrants here, it was going to happen sooner or later; with or without the EU membership. Small countries become multicultural with time, that's the way it is.
When it comes down to it the Irish aren't pure anyway, we are a mixture of immigrants going back thousands of years.
I suppose its just my personal preference to be around Irish people really. When I am in a pub I prefer to hear Irish accents, not Polish ones.
The point I am making above all else, is that being an Irish citizen when one emigrates to Ireland means nothing. I (wrongly) thought that it did, and that the Irish look after their own, or favour them. Its a popular misconception that people have, thinking that the Irish look after the Irish. Ireland is EU now, not the Ireland it was in the 1980's, and that means EU immigrants.
I have had to accept that as reality, complain or not.
Anyway, I hope you are less confused now I have clarified my views more. I really don't think I could break it down to a more simple level.

London Irish

Well, I was born at 8 minutes to 10 in the year of the snake.
Maybe you are right...

bigjohn2014

Thankyou London Irish, what about people who pensioners with DLA can we not get healthcare free as ive heard we can i take many meds every day i have no choice so will i get free prescription in ireland, or would i be better to live in the north as i know this is all free thanks,

London Irish

To be honest you wont get anything free. GP appointments typically cost 50 Euro, and then your prescription on top. And remember Irish drug prices are higher than the UK.
If you need regular medication, then its better to live in the North and get free NHS, and free drugs.
You can claim DLA as before no problem then.
To get a medical card here, and free GP appointments; one needs to be living here 2 years to pass the HRC test.
Say you are here 2 years, and get dole, or disability allowance; then you can apply for a medical card. Its free GP then, and 2.50 Euro per item on prescription.
So say you live in Ireland 2 years off savings, then apply for disability and a medical card then, that is the other option.

bigjohn2014

thankyou London irish for that info, perhaps we will live in the north and buy something as a holiday home in the republic, to bye my meds would cost an arm and a leg plus i have blood tests regularly, so i need to visit my gp very regular so thankyou for that info

London Irish

Its the sensible option to be honest with you.
You could buy a house near the border, so make it easy to drive into the Republic. Free NHS in the North, free GP appointments, and you keep your DLA.
Fermanagh is nice, and the prices keen. Its great for shopping, and has excellent facilities. It borders with Sligo, Leitrim, and Donegal in the the Republic, so handy for trips to the seaside etc.
The best site for houses for sale in Northern Ireland is:

Property For Sale in County Fermanagh - PropertyPal

I can recommend Fermanagh as friendly, and suitable for a disabled man to retire there. Think of it like Ireland's Lake District.
Enniskillen would be a great choice, as it has a brand new hospital which only opened in 2012. The NHS in the North is no comparison to the HSE in the Republic, trust me. I have been in GP surgeries, and hospitals in Belfast and Dublin, so I can compare the two. The North has the best of NHS in the UK.
That is the only good thing about the 30 years of the Troubles, they had to have good hospitals to deal with all the casualties!

South West Acute Hospital

If I was in your position, I wouldn't be looking for anywhere other than Enniskillen. If I was in a wheelchair and needed NHS it would tick all my boxes.
Massive Asda and Tesco superstores for shopping, and UK banks etc. Its all there really. I honestly can't think of a negative, as its one of the most friendly counties in the North. I don't think you would want nor need a second holiday home in the Republic. Renting a seaside mobile home in Sligo or Donegal would be ideal for summer holidays by the seaside for example.
Put it this way, if the UK do leave the EU after the Brexit in 2017, I will be heading North myself to escape the EU control here. A man could do a lot worse than live in Fermanagh.

bigjohn2014

thankyou a good insight

London Irish

You are welcome. I wish you the best of luck with the move.
When the Euro was stronger against Sterling I used to drive up to Enniskillen for bulk shopping; as its only one hour from me. I know the place well, and wouldn't recommend it unless I was sure it would suit you.
I think what tips the balance is the NHS v HSE, and free UK meds v rip off Irish prices.
I had laser eye surgery in Belfast and it was £500 cheaper than in Dublin, even with the same chain! So you see the drugs and healthcare are a real rip off in Ireland. Health insurance is like an extra tax here; and extra 1000 Euro a year to find. I am lucky I am on the dole and not having to pay 50 Euro every time I need to see my GP (due to my medical card). But for the first 2 years here that was exactly the case. Getting sick in Ireland is very costly. I wont tell you about dental care here as it would break your heart. Its actually cheaper to fly to Poland and back to get any work done. Flights, hotel, food, drink, and dental work; all for less than you pay here. Enough said.
A nice house in Enniskillen is what you want. No problems with too many non-nationals up there I can tell you! Low crime rate too, funny that.
Enniskillen is worth moving to for the cheap Wetherspoon pub prices alone. £3.00 per pint v 5.60 Euro.