Why is everything in the republic so expensive?

mehmeh12

Hi

Relative to the rest of europe, northern ireland especially why is everything here in the south so expensive?

I find it horribly depressing that very basic utilities here in the republic are high cost and low quality. Electricity, public transport, broadband, food etc. Do people ever think of emigrating to another country like Britain?

Bluetonic

Mainly because people with little or no real skill demand to be paid so much.

It's a vicious circle.

dudara

Moved to Rip Off Ireland

dudara

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Ireland has the highest electricity prices in Europe for businesses and domestic consumers, due to a dependence on electricity generated from fossil fuels. {FinFacts Ireland} Care to suggest how it can be currently (sorry pun not intended ) be produced any cheaper with the worldwide price for Oil and gas?

How can you say our Electricity is "poor quality"?

Anyway, everything isn't more expensive. Motor fuel is dearer in Northern Ireland, France, and Italy. Clothing is more expensive in Finland. Electrical goods dearer in Denmark. Ever shopped in Sweden?

It all has to be taken against wage levels and standards of living generally.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

dudara wrote: »

Moved to Rip Off Ireland

dudara

Pity. Rip off Ireland is so negative!

ejmaztec

mehmeh12 wrote: »

Hi

Relative to the rest of europe, northern ireland especially why is everything here in the south so expensive?

I find it horribly depressing that very basic utilities here in the republic are high cost and low quality. Electricity, public transport, broadband, food etc. Do people ever think of emigrating to another country like Britain?

Because the providers of these services have deluded themselves into believing that they're the best providers of these services in the world, and because they're so good, we should do our utmost to humour them by giving them all of our money, because we don't want them to be upset.

Emigration has always been a national past-time, and almost compulsory.

soden12

Ariella Beautiful Matchbox wrote:

How can you say our Electricity is "poor quality"?

When I lived in the UK (where absolutely everything is cheaper, better, fresher, tastier, fairer etc ) my tumbledryer used rotate at 27RPM but in Ireland the leccy is so weak that it now only rotates at 22RPM



/irony

hinault

We're an island.
It costs more money to get "stuff" here.
That would account, in part, for the higher expense/cost.

Our govt tax practically everything we import/export : that will be another factor.

We also have a merchant class who like to get their cut : that's another factor.

We've also got idiots who will buy "stuff" regardless of price, quality product/service.

And we're a nation of people who are prepared to "put up" with being ripped off by our goverment/merchant classes.
That's another factor.

GerardKeating

soden12 wrote: »

When I lived in the UK (where absolutely everything is cheaper, better, fresher, tastier, fairer etc ) my tumbledryer used rotate at 27RPM but in Ireland the leccy is so weak that it now only rotates at 22RPM

/irony

Different Supply, Ireland used the European 220 volt standard, the UK use 230Volt.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

soden12 wrote: »

When I lived in the UK (where absolutely everything is cheaper, better, fresher, tastier, fairer etc ) my tumbledryer used rotate at 27RPM but in Ireland the leccy is so weak that it now only rotates at 22RPM



/irony

That has nothing do do with quality of supply. Different voltage in the UK (Ireland uses the EU Standard). Our quality of supply (Customer minutes lost, voltage complaints, etc) are in the top 3 worldwide at the moment.

Alun

Ariella Beautiful Matchbox wrote: »

Different voltage in the UK (Ireland uses the EU Standard).

Not really, it's a bit more complicated than that.

The "nominal" voltage all over the EU since 2003, including the UK, is 230V, but there's a tolerance of -10% to +6% (i.e. 207.0 V-243.8 V) in the former nominal 220V countries and -6% +10% (i.e. 216.2 V - 253.0 V) in the UK (formerly nominal 240V).

The main upshot of all this has been that since 2003 all appliances sold in the EU have to be capable of running on 230V +/-10% i.e. 207-253V. This is especially relevant for appliances containing heating elements like deep fat fryers, toasters, hair dryers etc.

I speak as someone who brought over a number of appliances from Holland with me 10 years ago, some of which survived, and some of which didn't.

the groutch

mehmeh12 wrote: »

Hi

Relative to the rest of europe, northern ireland especially why is everything here in the south so expensive?

I find it horribly depressing that very basic utilities here in the republic are high cost and low quality. Electricity, public transport, broadband, food etc. Do people ever think of emigrating to another country like Britain?

economies of scale play a very big part, there's only 4.4 million of us here in Eire, but 62 million in UK, 65 million in France, Italy 60m, Germany 82m etc

HappyHarry

the groutch wrote: »

economies of scale play a very big part, there's only 4.4 million of us here in Eire, but 62 million in UK, 65 million in France, Italy 60m, Germany 82m etc

I love it when people chime in with such ignorant comments.

What you said would make sense only if we were talking about items that were made specifically in and for a particular country. If the same product is sold in Ireland & UK then the total potential market is 66.4 million.

rubadub

mehmeh12 wrote: »

Do people ever think of emigrating to another country like Britain?

And conversely why is there not a massive surge of foreign retailers closing their shops and setting up here, since the profits are supposedly so ridiculously high? (hint: perhaps they are not)

HappyHarry wrote: »

What you said would make sense only if we were talking about items that were made specifically in and for a particular country.

I HATE it when people chime in with such ignorant comments.

ardmacha

economies of scale play a very big part, there's only 4.4 million of us here in Eire, but 62 million in UK, 65 million in France, Italy 60m, Germany 82m etc

So are things always more expensive in small countries then? This is why we have the single market, single currency etc.

And conversely why is there not a massive surge of foreign retailers closing their shops and setting up here, since the profits are supposedly so ridiculously high?

So what happened to Quinnsworth, Roches Stores, Harry Corry etc

doopa

rubadub wrote: »

I HATE it when people chime in with such ignorant comments.

And yet - you seem to do it quite regularly yourself.

rubadub

ardmacha wrote: »

So what happened to Quinnsworth, Roches Stores, Harry Corry etc

Exactly my point, retailers here obviously do not have the golden goose that some idiots think they have.

doopa wrote: »

And yet - you seem to do it quite regularly yourself.

Ah you're the other guy who doesn't understand that economies of scale exist, yet say you do, the mind boggles.