Ireland is the best country in the world to live - official!

The Economist? Didn't they predict that Ireland's alleged property/economic bubble was supposed to burst a few years ago? :rolleyes:

North Korea didn't make it into the bottom 10?! Surely some mistake....
 
"No doubt critics will poke holes in this index too. Except, of course, in Ireland."

I don't think the author realises how critical the Irish can be, especially of each other!
 
Have lived abroad many times over the years and always come home, missing all things Irish. Last time I was abroad in 1998 I was dying to get home again, to get married, start a family, no better place for it, I thought. Between 98 and 2004, I feel the place (ref points Kildare and Drimnagh) has gone downhill. So many complaints, prices, services, even jobs (quantity not necessarily quality), and the Irish wit, charm etc seems to be disappearing because everyone is so concentrated on building up their wealth. For me, I wanted to settle in France (hubby is French) and start a good life, not just one where you survive from month to month, and bring the kids to a massive air-conditioned shopping centre at the weekend.
I don't want to knock Ireland, I will always consider it home, but every time I have a positive experience in France, I can't help comparing to Ireland. My 3 and 5 year olds are both in pre-school today (FREE), my 1 year old went to a creche for an hour this morning (1 euro/hour) while I did the vegetable shopping in the market (fresh produce, big bag of 4 diff veg = 3 euro), had a coffee (1 euro), am back home using my broadband (30/month which includes unlimited internet, unlimited free local calls AND UNLIMITED FREE INTERNATIONAL calls!)

I suppose it shouldn't all be about money, but our life is so much easier here without the pressure of having more money, more investment properties whatever. Here the wages are low and jobs are fairly hard to find, but when you earn 22-25K you can live well (family of 5).

I won't go on, you get the picture. It would be interesting to see a real breakdown of how the Economist comes to this conclusion! My guess is that Ireland is going to slip on this index...
 
pernickety said:
Have lived abroad many times over the years and always come home, missing all things Irish. Last time I was abroad in 1998 I was dying to get home again, to get married, start a family, no better place for it, I thought. Between 98 and 2004, I feel the place (ref points Kildare and Drimnagh) has gone downhill. So many complaints, prices, services, even jobs (quantity not necessarily quality), and the Irish wit, charm etc seems to be disappearing because everyone is so concentrated on building up their wealth. For me, I wanted to settle in France (hubby is French) and start a good life, not just one where you survive from month to month, and bring the kids to a massive air-conditioned shopping centre at the weekend.
I don't want to knock Ireland, I will always consider it home, but every time I have a positive experience in France, I can't help comparing to Ireland. My 3 and 5 year olds are both in pre-school today (FREE), my 1 year old went to a creche for an hour this morning (1 euro/hour) while I did the vegetable shopping in the market (fresh produce, big bag of 4 diff veg = 3 euro), had a coffee (1 euro), am back home using my broadband (30/month which includes unlimited internet, unlimited free local calls AND UNLIMITED FREE INTERNATIONAL calls!)

I suppose it shouldn't all be about money, but our life is so much easier here without the pressure of having more money, more investment properties whatever. Here the wages are low and jobs are fairly hard to find, but when you earn 22-25K you can live well (family of 5).

I won't go on, you get the picture. It would be interesting to see a real breakdown of how the Economist comes to this conclusion! My guess is that Ireland is going to slip on this index...
Click to expand...

I lived in France for three years as a kid cant say I remember much about it but I think I was happy I think we only came home becuase my mom got homesick. I go there nearly every year on holiday as an adult and it has a lot going for it I have to say. Its a very relaxed lifestyle sometimes the hussle and bussle of Dublin get to you its all go! I plan to take a career break next year and spend some time abroad just to relax as much as anything and see something new. Ireland though does have a lot going for it(not the weather unfortunately) such as people are generally easy enough to get on with, not dangerous in my opinion (I think its a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, that can happen anywhere). House prices are probably the big negative and eating out though go to Cannes and Dublin seems as cheap as Thailand :)
 
colc1 said:
Ireland though does have a lot going for it(not the weather unfortunately) such as people are generally easy enough to get on with,
Click to expand...

Agreed, and while the weather mightnt be great for lying out on beach, Ireland does have a very favourable climate. Doesnt suffer (usually) from extreme weather conditions (flooding, snow, hurricanes etc) and is excellent for farming and gardens. Good for the economy.

colc1 said:
not dangerous in my opinion (I think its a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, that can happen anywhere).
Click to expand...

I disagree with this. Ive lived in Milan, Stockholm, Zurich and the States (LA). I cant really compare it to LA as I would never have walked around at night in LA and everyone always drives everywhere so there is no real public transport but everywhere else (including Dublin), I havent had a car and always used public transport or walking in the city. Dublin and Milan are pretty much equal Id say regarding being dangerous, though Id be more nervous walking down pearse street at 11pm than I would be down Via Porta di Ticenese at 11pm. There seemed to me to be a higher presence of Guards on the street in Milan than in Dublin disuading the opportunist mugger. Zurich and Stockholm are very safe. Id walk home here at night (Zurich) at any time, as do many people here. I think if such a list were being compiled (of safest cities in the world to live in) Dublin would be low.

colc1 said:
House prices are probably the big negative and eating out though go to Cannes and Dublin seems as cheap as Thailand :)
Click to expand...

Interestingly Zurich is famous for being expensive, but I find eating out at home in Dublin as expensive now as here. Everytime I go home restaurants seem more expensive. Most of my friends at home avoid eating out.
 
ClubMan said:
The Economist? Didn't they predict that Ireland's alleged property/economic bubble was supposed to burst a few years ago? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

The Economist never said Ireland would experience a property crash - it said the market was overvalued by 30%, not that it would burst. In fact only about one third of bubbles ever burst, must are just followed by a few years of very low growth. In addition The Economist currently says that property is not just overvalued in Ireland (which it undoubtably is in the fundamental sense) but that it is overvalued nearly worldwide - in the USA, South Africa, UK, Australia etc.

(I'd just like to point out that I am an avid reader of The Economist and i find it to be a publication that is far better and of a much higher standard than any other business/current affairs magazine i've ever read, I really enjoy it)

Keeping to the topic, i'd have to agree with the title "best country in the world to live", my youth and inexperience aside, Ireland really does seem to offer it all - economic wealth, fairly egalitarian, huge optimisim (believe it or not), growing social liberty, excellent education, genuinely nice people and plenty of opportunity for those who want them.
 
Do you have a link to the article(s) in question or a synopsys so that I can read them?
 
Here's a bit of it, but you need a subscription to get the whole thing online. I think I scanned it from the paper edition; I'll have a look on the work PC tomorrow, if you want.
 
My 3 and 5 year olds are both in pre-school today (FREE),
Click to expand...

I'd doubt this is actually free. How is the pre-school funded? - through taxes?
 
Yup. It's rumoured that some day, parents of children attending pre-school in Ireland may be able to avail of tax reliefs for this. But for the moment you only get tax breaks for building and selling them.
 
DrMoriarty said:
Here's a bit of it, but you need a subscription to get the whole thing online. I think I scanned it from the paper edition; I'll have a look on the work PC tomorrow, if you want.
Click to expand...
Thanks - if you have the article(s) handy and there is no copyright issue then I'd be interested in having a goo.
 
.....or, if you wish, it will cost you €155 per year to subscribe to the Economist, magazine delivered to (where else?) your door AND online access thrown in as well.

BUT, if you lived in a more accessable part of the world, say, Western Samoa, Kazakhstan or Tahiti for instance, it would set you back a mere US$115. Interesting pricing policy.................
 
casiopea said:
There seemed to me to be a higher presence of Guards on the street in Milan than in Dublin disuading the opportunist mugger. .
Click to expand...

So that's where they all are, instead of an the streets here!...........can't say I blame them...........
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top