Moses2013

After a few grumpy Brits didn't do their research, this is a good guide to living in Ireland.Living in IrelandAll Information can be found here too: Citizens Information Before moving, please note that Ireland is not as small as some people think and location is key.


Work:If you need work to survive, then don't move to a village in the middle of nowhere, especially if you are not prepared to commute.



Weather:Like the UK, Ireland has a temperate maritime climate and again location is key (It's not Spain). Just because a location is further West, doesn't mean you get more rain and less sun. In general, most of the eastern half of the country gets between 750 and 1000 (mm) of rainfall in the year and rainfall in the west generally averages between 1000 and 1400 mm, so overall the West does seem wetter. Note that at an altitude of 300 m, the annual rainfall may be as much as 50% greater than in the adjoining lowlands, so around Galway City it's much drier than somewhere near Connemara, but again Westport is drier than that mountain area. The general impression is that it rains quite a lot of the time in Ireland, but two out of three hourly observations will not report any measurable rainfall.When it comes to sunshine, again coastal areas can see more sun than areas further inland. Rosslare Strand is the sunniest part of the country with around 1.600 hours sun on average. Galway City and Cork have around 1.400 hours.


Looking for a home: Daft.ie - Property for sale and houses for sale or rent in Ireland


Health Care:This is another subject and people keep complaining, without really knowing the facts. Depending on location, health services are very good in Ireland, but the system is different to the UK (Please read the above links). When it comes to waiting times, public hospitals are nearly/just as bad as the UK, Sweden & Poland, so if you want to avoid these thing, please look at the cost for private health insurance.

Zelda247

I am not a grumpy Brit by the way I am Irish but left here in 1994 and returned 2015!... also I find it very strange that you call waiting listings for 12-18 months a very good health service.

Moses2013

I didn't mean you with grumpy (just in general) and if you are Irish, you will obviously have a good sense of humour. People seem to confuse waiting lists with the quality of treatment you are getting and we have some excellent hospitals and staff in Ireland. Unfortunately, like the UK we have poor accessibility in certain parts of the country, but people need to stop being so negative and making everything bad. You can read the official report and the UK wasn't that great either Euro Health Consumer Index

A 2014 survey to the public of the UK, asking about "What is the essence of being British?" got the most common response "Having access to the NHS". Nevertheless, the UK healthcare system has never made it into the top 10 of the EHCI, mainly due to poor accessibility (together with Poland and Sweden the worst among European healthcare systems) and an autocratic top-down management culture.

Zelda247

Having lived in Ireland for 35 years and the UK for 20 I am qualified to judge both health systems and in my experience the NHS was just brilliant, could not fault any treatment myself or my husband experienced in the years I lived in London. The Irish health system is appalling, just speak to any Irish citizen and they will agree.

mrhappygolucky

The Irish health system is not good. I think Moses must be a Fianna Gael voter or he's just moved here from Nigeria.

Moses2013

Your internet connection must be shite

mrhappygolucky

That's another problem with rural Ireland, poor internet connection - or are you going to contradict that as well?

Zelda247

I am glad its all worked out fine for Moses but he has not got a clue about what life is like in Ireland for pensioners.

Moses2013

Then tell me what it's like for pensioners in other countries? In Germany, every 2nd pensioner had less than €700 monthly last year. People like mrhappygolucky have been living on benefits for years and have no right to complain. I work, invest in a private pension and pay taxes, so mrhappgolucky can have an easy life.

jonboy

What is it about the Republic of Ireland forum?
It seems to attract preachers who seem only able to delight talking down to the other contributors.

<snipped>

Zelda247

I agree I can't get my head around Moses he is another another planet to the rest of us, not in the real Ireland 2016 at all. Thank God for the other sane contributors.

As I said on several occasions I am only posting my views so that other people considering retiring to Ireland know how it is for Pensioners, especially relating the the Health Service or lack of it.

I wish that I had known the facts before we moved, that's all.

Moses2013

I still don't get your point though. I never said it's perfect here, but why on earth didn't you figure things out before you moved. First of all, any child knows that you can't compare Co. Kerry to London, so if you were looking for city life why did you pick Co. Kerry? It's like someone moving from Dublin to Applecross in Scotland and then moaning the whole UK is bad, because it's not like Dublin. @jonboy, I never said I'm the only tax payer, but on what planet are these people living on and if everything is so bad, why don't they move? It's not as if your in Australia and it will cost thousands to return. If someone hates where they live and it didn't work out, don't judge a whole country. I don't see a problem here. Sell the house, drive back to the UK and that's it.

Zelda247

Moses I know you don't get the point that is very clear but at least I think others on the forum have.

Moses2013

The Ireland haters will always get your point and there are a few here. I still don't understand why people are still in this country if it's that bad and the UK is so much better?

Most pensioners commenting here seem to receive a UK pension and claim everything is better back home, so why on earth are they still here after so many years?


If you can answer that, maybe I'll understand.

not2old

Zelda or Moses, (outside of the weather or location, location) would you be recommending that retired UK state pensioners should not move to Ireland purely on the basis of the lack of or cost of health insurance, even though the offset may be lower accommodation cost & the council tax?

Or, is there something that just sticks out why UK state pension retirees should not move to take up residence in the Republic?