MissBetty

Hi everyone

I've been on here for a while having moved from Oz back to the UK two years ago and I'm considering a move to Ireland so would be very grateful for any advice re pros and cons if anyone would be so kind?!

My situation is I'm single with no kids and I'm a freelance paramedic. I own a property in the UK with a fair amount of equity in it which I'd be happy to sell if I decided to move over. I could afford a property up to about €80,000 which I could purchase outright so no mortgage needed.

I've had a good read of some of the posts on here and I think I'm beginning to understand the car and health situation plus I believe you have to pay property tax and water rates now if you own somewhere - correct?

My situation so far is that I work as a locum paramedic practitioner, I do some teaching, some events and I do shifts in doctor's surgeries and out of hours clinics. In Aug I'm off to work on a cruise liner, I worked at sea before but the oil and gas industry is not hiring much atm. I have my family - Mum and sister - in the UK so I could pop over for work once a month and have somewhere to stay.

So I'd plan to rent first to get a feel of the areas I'd like to live in, I've looked at Wicklow, Meath and Kildare due to their proximity to Dublin - any recommendations from anyone on here and any thoughts on those three counties at all? I've looked at a few places in Monastervevin- does anyone have any info re this town good or bad please?!

I thought I might try to get some work with the Irish Ambulance Service as I feel it would be a way to make friends, earn money and become part of the community. I could transfer straight to NI with my registration, HSE are recruiting in ROI but I'd have to get my qualifications recognised first which I've read can take about three months. I don't suppose there's any paramedics on here who work in ROI at all, or if anyone knows some? Some insider knowledge and advice would be fantastic

My father was Irish and I really love the country, I feel it would offer me a more peaceful way of life and I could afford a house instead of a flat. It's ok where I live but it's become more and more crowded and having a leasehold property is a pain, I'd like a small garden and not to have to keep paying maintainance and management fees all the bloomin time. Also I could still see my family as it's easy and quick to travel back and forth.

I think for me the main thing is trying to meet people and make friends as I don't have a partner or kids. The Irish always seem incredibly friendly but I'm well aware it might be very different when you actually live there!!

Anyway if anyone has any advice for me and my situation I would very much appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

Moses2013

I hope it works out for you and I always say it will be as good, or as bad as you make it. Pros and cons really depends on the individual and what might work for one person, might not work for the other. Like anywhere, every area is different and for me Co. Galway works. I'm close to the city for work, but not too close. I enjoy the stress free living here, it's not overcrowded and still plenty of open space. People will always find something to moan, be it weather, taxes, insurance etc. Overall I find the wages are decent enough in Ireland and it's still possible to have a good standard of living, without being a company director. Sure, around Dublin house prices have gone up a lot (like any city), but you still have options to commute.

MissBetty

That's very encouraging, thanks for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it. I'm generally quite an optimist, I enjoy what I do and I don't miss Australia at all but I do find every time I go to Ireland it's less crowded and the people are generally nicer.

I'm late 40's now and looking for a more relaxed way of life tbh, I don't mind commuting but not having to use the M25 again would be bliss!!!!!

quiltman

If your father was Irish can you not claim Irish citizenship? This would make the move a little easier.

MissBetty

I could but I'm a dual Australian/British citizen so I'm ok to work/live in Ireland unless there is some advantages to having Irish citizenship? Any info welcome! Cheers

Moses2013

People are friendly here and the big difference to the UK is that you don't really get this class divide. You can go to a pub and will find the rich business man talking to the cleaner, but in the UK it's not as common. Of course you can find good and bad everywhere, but Ireland does seem more relaxed. The thing about the UK (more England) is that a lot of villages have become snobby and only wealthy people can afford houses. There are still some affordable areas in the UK, but the house/garden would have been half the size over there + the commute would have been so much longer and stressful, so Ireland worked out better for us. It's definitely still a good time if you can sell in the UK now and buy in Ireland, because of the exchange rate. Saying that, house prices have gone up over the last 3 years, so it really depends on area and budget. Other things are a lot cheaper than before, especially food shopping.

jonboy

I can not think of any advantages to that. You seem to have thought the matter through and have qualifications that can travel with you. I wish you good fortune.

Regards

jonboy

MissBetty

That's great to know, one of the things I really like about Ireland is that the people are super friendly. Since moving back to the UK from Australia I do notice the difference. I'm really friendly and chatty but all the time people here say to me I talk too much/have verbal diarrhoea/talk to complete strangers and ask em their life stories! I am quite aware that it seems to irritate people so I've become quite withdrawn these days. I try very hard not to strike up conversations in the supermarket and I try my best not to talk to people at all as I'm tired of being mocked.

I was in Ireland last week again and it was so great! I talked to everyone in the shops, restaurants, pubs I actually felt like I could be myself for the first time in ages and I felt so relaxed as it kinda appears to be the norm over there. I'm trying to maintain a balance though between being on holidays and what it would be like to live there. I wrote to the ambulance service today to enquire about a job and asked them if I could come over and do some shifts with their paramedics to see what it's like.

I read some old posts on here and was interested to see what you had to say re healthcare. I like the fact that you pay for what you use and pay less tax due to this. I work in a GP surgery and I've seen first hand how people just abuse the NHS and free prescriptions. Not all of course, some people are very genuine and I know there are provisions in ROI for lower income families which is how it should be.

Anyways cheers again for the info, it's really helped!

MissBetty

Thank you! Yes I should be able to get a job ok as long as I do alright at the interview. I don't have kids to think about and I can rent first to see how I get on. Thanks for the good wishes!

Pica

"That's great to know, one of the things I really like about Ireland is that the people are super friendly. Since moving back to the UK from Australia I do notice the difference. I'm really friendly and chatty but all the time people here say to me I talk too much/have verbal diarrhoea/talk to complete strangers and ask em their life stories! I am quite aware that it seems to irritate people so I've become quite withdrawn these days. I try very hard not to strike up conversations in the supermarket and I try my best not to talk to people at all as I'm tired of being mocked."

Perhaps you are being, dare I say it? a bit pushy with strangers. Generally folks are busy and either don't want to or don't have the time to stand chatting with someone they don't know. I don't mean to offend you but it sounds as though you might be making a bit of a fool of yourself by being overtly friendly.

MissBetty

Actually that is VERY offensive and you are incredibly rude! I came on here to ask for advice about moving to Ireland and I was replying to a poster who was kind enough to give me advice so who do you think you are coming on here and being nasty when you know nothing about me?!

I've been on BE for years now and have found people on here to be nothing but kind and helpful, you are clearly not one of them. You don't live in Ireland, and have nothing positive to offer therefore I don't actually care for your opinion so kindly do us both a favour and BACK OFF!

Pica

OK. I did say that I don't mean to offend and I'm sorry that you've taken my post as offensive. You said that you were tired of being mocked -I was just offering a perspective that others may hold.

MissBetty

Oh I see, so you're not sorry that you have offended me, you're sorry that I have taken offence to your rude post?!!! I have no idea why you bothered to post anything in the first place, you don't know me and there is no way you could have any idea what views others may or may not hold. I find the British very reserved compared to where I lived before and the Irish much friendlier that is all and that is just from my experience. Just because you write 'I don't mean to offend' does not mean you can go ahead and be rude to people. I have no time for people like you so please just keep your opinions to yourself from now on thanks!

Pica

No need to thank me Miss Betty-I am not rude to people. I hope you enjoy Ireland.

jonboy

Dear Pica,
you might be making a bit of a fool of yourself by being overtly thoughtless?