Seriously worried ...

LivelineDipso

HellFireClub wrote: »

It's not at all, I'm self employed in the domestic economy so maybe I'm a bit closer to the real economy of this country than you are, are you a public sector worker on 50K a year by any chance?

I wish - I run a small business. I agree everything in this county is essentially against the self employed modest business person, but it is not as bad as you are making out.

LivelineDipso

poussin78 wrote: »

Wow ... thanks for the feedback !!!

My MAIN concerns are : health insurance (used to seeing a few specialists in France, covered by social security ...), social life for the (early) thirty something professionals, general happy vibes -;) ...

P.S. I'm a girl.

Talk to French people who live here.

You should be OK, considering your circumstances.

Micky Dolenz

poussin78 wrote: »

Wow ... thanks for the feedback !!!

My MAIN concerns are : health insurance (used to seeing a few specialists in France, covered by social security ...), social life for the (early) thirty something professionals, general happy vibes -;) ...

P.S. I'm a girl.

Health insurance is expensive and once you pay , you are more or less locked in. I would not be without it.

I moved out of Ireland for work reasons but will return in late spring. I live in Belgium now and things are as expensive, tax is high here. You will probably find things in Ireland very similar to other European countries cost wise.

I was in Dublin a few weeks ago and had the best craic ever, chatting ****e with random strangers, it really is a good town for a social life. I've always found Ireland to be great fun to go out. It's fun here too but different.

Speaking from personal experience and having worked in a few places, you can't beat home. And the the Atlantic, how I miss it. Once you can deal with the poor weather and have a job, it's all good.

Abi

L'Irlande, c'est..... Irlande. Météoroloiques merde, tout couteux, et les bas salaires.


What part of France are you in? Honestly speaking, the morale here is a bit on the low side. Though if you're set up with a job and you've some where to land on this side, the go for it.

poussin78

Thanks !
I'm in Paris at the moment ...
Hence my hesitations (culture, mentality, ...)

Nonoperational

unkel wrote: »

Welcome to boards

Ireland is a great country with great people and you will have a great life here. As long as you don't lose your job or your health. If either happens to you, you're fukced and nobody gives a sh1te. Harsh but true!

Couldn't disagree more with this. Jesus.

staker

poussin78 wrote: »

Hi guys
I'm about to make the decision to leave France for Dublin (job in hand).
Am I mad ?
Is everything negative I'm reading really true ?
Or is there still fun to be had over there ?

Thanks !

A long way to go for a bit of relief no?

poussin78

staker wrote: »

A long way to go for a bit of relief no?

Hilarious.

Abi

poussin78 wrote: »

Thanks !
I'm in Paris at the moment ...
Hence my hesitations (culture, mentality, ...)

I've family over there at the moment, they love it

When it comes to a career it has to be head over heart though.

Qualitymark

Ireland is a lovely country, and people are good at having fun. But compared with France, its social systems are dreadful.

When the Irish had to decide what to cut, when the prosperity drained suddenly away and poverty crept in through the door, the choice was to cut the poorest, to take away the right to free heat from old people in some of the coldest months of the year; to take away carer from people with mental and physical disabilities; to cut and cut education and hospitals and anything that might show kindness - while civil servants continue to receive an automatic pay rise every year, and politicians (whose salaries are linked to those civil servants') grow fat and sleek in their designer clothes. These are the choices Ireland makes; these - remember it, and don't be fooled by the easy smiles - these are the values of Ireland.

Take, for example, cystic fibrosis. We have the highest numbers in the world. We now have (since about a month ago) *one* small ward where CF patients can be treated without mixing with people with infections that can kill them. There's a device known as a Vest, which can be worn for an hour or so daily to stimulate the ejection of mucus - vital to people with CF; this costs €6,000. The health service refuses to pay the money to provide these to CF patients.

If you need, say, a knee replacement and you are paid for by private insurance, you can be seen within a month or so, but you will still have to pay a couple of thousand euro over and above what the insurance pays for, to have the operation and subsequent care. If you are a public patient (without private health insurance), you can wait years (no exaggeration) before reaching the top of the list for the operation, while your health collapses as a result of being in pain, stressed and unable to exercise.

Tests for children and adults that are the norm in European countries are not routinely done in Ireland. The standard of medical care is not good. A friend of mine died this year of cancer that progressed while she kept asking her family doctor if she needed tests for a weeping sore, for instance. Read the headlines; you'll see many examples of hospitals being sued for tragic mistakes.

Crime in Ireland is far lower than in France - at least, reported crime; but not everyone believes that crime is honestly reported statistically. The general sense is that crime is becoming a real problem, which it wasn't during the prosperous years.

Education is of a much lower standard, generally. Teachers are disaffected and angry.

Dealing with the civil service is a nightmare; civil servants have an indignant sense of entitlement and resent having to give any service to the public. (Not all of them, obviously! There are still honourable and conscientious people. But it's the baseline.)

There are things in Ireland that are much nicer than France: in Dublin and Galway and Cork, for instance, you're between the mountains and the sea, and there's always somewhere beautiful to walk or cycle. If you make a circle of friends, you'll have a nice social life. But...

As I said, if you want to come and work here, do so for a year while you make your decision. But I'd be going the other way, if I could.

The Radiator

poussin78 wrote: »

Wow ... thanks for the feedback !!!

My MAIN concerns are : health insurance (used to seeing a few specialists in France, covered by social security ...), social life for the (early) thirty something professionals, general happy vibes -;) ...

P.S. I'm a girl.

I think we''ll need to see a few pics of ya, to be sure, to be sure

Madam_X

It's definitely not the hell-hole a few miserable people with no sense of perspective say it is.

FTA69 wrote: »

Estates in Cork, Limerick and Dublin are far bigger sh*tholes than anywhere you'll see in the likes of London.

incorrect.

Redjeep!

It all depends, and there's probably nobody who can answer that question for you. I lived in France (near Paris) for a few years and now live in Ireland. I'm neither French nor Irish.

Do I regret leaving France ? Yeh, sometimes, but I also enjoy living in Ireland (most of the time). I also loved the French way of life and still go back most years for a holiday.

I had valid reasons for leaving France at the time. It all depends upon why you want to leave, why you want to come to Ireland, if you have a job, family, friends etc over here. Don't think it will be easy, because life can be a bit grim over here at the moment, but it all depends upon what you're leaving behind and what you're coming here for.

One thing I would say, is that in my experience the health system over here isn't as good as it was in France and seems to be ran a bit more for the convenience of some people working in it than for the patients.

LivelineDipso

Qualitymark wrote: »

Ireland is a lovely country, and people are good at having fun. But compared with France, its social systems are dreadful.

When the Irish had to decide what to cut, when the prosperity drained suddenly away and poverty crept in through the door, the choice was to cut the poorest, to take away the right to free heat from old people in some of the coldest months of the year; to take away carer from people with mental and physical disabilities; to cut and cut education and hospitals and anything that might show kindness - while civil servants continue to receive an automatic pay rise every year, and politicians (whose salaries are linked to those civil servants') grow fat and sleek in their designer clothes.

Dealing with the civil service is a nightmare; civil servants have an indignant sense of entitlement and resent having to give any service to the public. (Not all of them, obviously! There are still honourable and conscientious people. But it's the baseline.)

I agree with this. You have to remember that Partnership created by McCreevy and Ahern (I will never call any politician by their first name) was essentially the Orwellian Inner Party grouping who would be lavishly spoilt in order to become the bulldogs of the establishment.

Civil Servants in Ireland see themselves are a different species (superior in every way) to the us the proles outside the protection of the Inner Party (the public sector).

There will never be a social revolution as the Government uses the revenue to buy the loyalty and fantical backing of the civil service and the unions in CIE and so on.

You can literally smell them here on boards - on the doss all day for a six figure pay check. Their job is to instictually attack anyone who is against cutting off the civil service pampering. Calling people "armchair cowards", "conspiracy nuts", and so on. Look at their psychotic reactions on the Household Charge threads...

Many of the more active civil servant spooks on here are also members of the Socialist Workers Party which is another front set up to start riots and cause trouble at peaceful demostations so the other wing of the Goverment (the media) can discredit any public dissent as being violent thugs. The media is also the main maching for conditioning us to call our leaders by their first names as if they are our friends. Very clever and sneeky tactic.

Irish people would be shocked if there had any notion of the level of contempt and absolute pathological hatred the civil service has for the citizens of this nation who are outside the McCreey's/Ahern's Inner Party Membership.

THE VALUES OF IRELAND IS THE PAMPERING OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS AND NOTHING ELSE.

Toby Take a Bow

LivelineDipso wrote: »

Many of the more active civil servant spooks on here are also members of the Socialist Workers Party which is another front set up to start riots and cause trouble at peaceful demostations so the other wing of the Goverment (the media) can discredit any public dissent as being violent thugs. The media is also the main maching for conditioning us to call our leaders by their first names as if they are our friends. Very clever and sneeky tactic.

I like how you try and preempt accusations of you being a conspiracy theorist before you post the above, which is frankly hilarious and no basis in fact. Unless you'd like to provide something to back up the above claim?

Qualitymark

The media are a wing of Government? Feck! Why don't journos get civil servant wages, perks and increments?

And civil servants are SWP? How odd! Their sneering attitude to the working class must be a clever front? Cunning devils.

John_Rambo

HellFireClub wrote: »

It's a horrible place to live it's a hopeless place to live, crime is everywhere, especially the kind of crime that affects you, like anti social behaviour, petty theft, petty crime, etc.

Sorry you live in such dire circumstances, but maybe our French friend will have an excellent job and will choose wisely where he lives?

Where I live is nothing like what you describe.

Eve_Dublin

To all of you posters living in Ireland hating the place but doing fuck all to change it, not even going out to protest but instead choosing to rant on Boards.ie, I think you're cowards. Nothing else. You don't have the balls to change your circumstances be it move country or take action where you already live. This is what I personally despise the most about my country (saying that, you find that attitude everywhere...the scourge of society).

Qualitymark

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

To all of you posters living in Ireland hating the place but doing fuck all to change it, not even going out to protest but instead choosing to rant on Boards.ie, I think you're cowards. Nothing else. You don't have the balls to change your circumstances be it move country or take action where you already live. This is what I personally despise the most about my country (saying that, you find that attitude everywhere...the scourge of society).

Way to make assumptions!

Eve_Dublin

Qualitymark wrote: »

Way to make assumptions!

Assumptions about who?

If you do nothing but moan but don't even bother your arse to go to a protest, then you're a coward hiding behind a screen convincing yourself that by sitting there and making out like Ireland is on par with a third world country is somehow doing something. This is not targeted at anyone in particular as I don't know who protests or writes a letter to their local TD or whatever but those who don't who constantly moan and moan on here (and there are plenty) as if they're somehow above everyone else when they do **** all, well, I've no time for it.

If you feel that strongly about it, what is stopping you taking some sort of action like the French do? Again, not targeted at anyone particular, just those I mentioned above.

Qualitymark

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

Assumptions about who?

Assumptions about what, rather. You're rather blithely assuming that those posting here about the state Ireland's in are not taking part in any protests or taking any action; I posit that there isn't any basis for such an assumption.

Eve_Dublin

Qualitymark wrote: »

Assumptions about what, rather. You're rather blithely assuming that those posting here about the state Ireland's in are not taking part in any protests or taking any action; I posit that there isn't any basis for such an assumption.

Wrong. I'm targeting my posts at those who constantly moan but don't take action and there's no presumption that everyone here is not doing something (although one poster on this thread admitted to doing nothing, for example). I've been posting on here for a years now and have seen similar threads crop up and again and again with posters complaining about what a **** hole Ireland is but have admitted to doing nothing. It's those I'm referring to. Those who take action...fair play. Moan away to your hearts content.

Eve_Dublin

HellFireClub wrote: »

Btw, I'm the kind of person who just keeps my head down and tries to get on with it, last time I was at a protest was in my college days many years ago, I just try to work hard and get on with it, but it's time now to face up to reality and hit the stop button, this country can't take another round of this austerity bullshít nonsense, it's a self-destruct mission that has proven itself to be just that and nothing else, instructed by those at the very top of the EU political hierarchy who are trying to tell us that they have the answers to the very crisis that they caused. No fúcking way, not anymore, not in my name, I'm not having any more of it.

What's your plan of action?

Qualitymark

To the barricades! Allons enfants de la patrie...

poussin78

Thanks for your (very diverging) views !
I am indeed torn between France and Ireland ! I have more friends in France, but family in Ireland ... Professionally, the job in Ireland would be an excellent opportunity for me .... Personally, I'm just coming out of a relationship so the change could be good (if social life permits !!!) ... BUT, I will very much miss my access to an excellent health care system and certain other comforts here. Not that there's any major problem, but as someone mentioned routine tests are not carried out in Ireland an I guess the security here is knowing that if something is to be picked up on it will be, and all treatment will be covered. Surely, if one is insured by VHI the cover is quite good ? At this point in my career though, I couldn't dream of such a high salary in France... But money is not the most important factor by any means ...
I also realize it's a bit silly to post big decisions on boards but sometimes it's good just to hear reactions and see what inner reactions they prompt ...
In terms of social activities in Dublin, here's my profile (let me know if you think I'll be bored) : "artsy" type, interest in music and theatre (alternative and independent as well as classical), always like discovering new quaint places (bookshops, bars, cafes), love going out to bars (by no means tea total, far from it, but don't get drunk or like evenings which revolve around drunkenness ... I.e. like being able to have interesting discussions and craic), like nightclubs ok but hate any kind of place with a "pulling" atmosphere ! ... Don't know how easy it would be to meet people as a 30 year l old girl (not on the pull !!)
Cheers

Madam_X

I'm relaxing on a comfy seat in a bar right now, surrounded by contented, relaxed people - well dressed, well fed, talking about whatever they wish. Out the window I see parked cars, all fairly new. I think it's a ****ing disgrace to lie about Ireland being a third world hole, a horrible place to live. Those who do so haven't the first ****ing iota as to what actually constitutes same.

poussin78

Madam_X wrote: »

I'm relaxing on a comfy seat in a bar right now, surrounded by contented, relaxed people - well dressed, well fed, talking about whatever they wish. Out the window I see parked cars, all fairly new. I think it's a ****ing disgrace to lie about Ireland being a third world hole, a horrible place to live. Those who do so haven't the first ****ing iota as to what actually constitutes same.

How reassuring ! I think - but maybe I'm wrong - that Ireland is a self depreciating nation at the best of times - it's part of their humor and why they produce the best comedians - tongue in cheek self irony .. So at the worst of times, when they have more material ...

HellFireClub

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

Wrong. I'm targeting my posts at those who constantly moan but don't take action and there's no presumption that everyone here is not doing something (although one poster on this thread admitted to doing nothing, for example). I've been posting on here for a years now and have seen similar threads crop up and again and again with posters complaining about what a **** hole Ireland is but have admitted to doing nothing. It's those I'm referring to. Those who take action...fair play. Moan away to your hearts content.

What an ignorant little elaboration. Many people who pass their opinions on this website and are rightly furious with how this country is being run, are actually engaged in their own campaign to keep small businesses open, keep people in jobs, keep poverty from the door. Them having their priorities right, and being too preoccupied with their own survival in this country at the moment, in an effort to stay on the right side of the poverty line, does not deprive any such person of a right of opinion on these forums.

Not all of us in this country are being paid 50k or 60k upwards and the rest of it for working a year for a 35 hour an hour week in the public sector who are heavily unionised and therefore are organised to protest. Some of us have priorites that simply don't allow for us being a modern day Jim Larkin type activist but don't dare knock anyone struggling to survive and feed themselves and stay off the poverty line in this country at the moment when you are probably not even living in the country.

Joe prim

After the mediocrity that is modern day Paris, you'll be blissfully happy in Dublin. Miss the Champs Elysees? Try Rue O'Connell ( bit of frawnsay there!), the widest street in the world ( officially),with a choice of fine cuisine from every corner of the globe, much of it available on a "tout que vous pouvez manger" basis. Banks of the Seine? Try our boardwalk, a veritable honeypot for the jeunesse doree of the city,where the beau monde gather to discuss art and philosophy, as well as a venue for our many fine young athletes in training, recognisable by their colourful tracksuits.Feel free to greet passers-by with a friendly "storybud?" ( Gaelic for "What have you been up to lately my friend?) As for the Arts, you'll find the Irish to be extremely artistic,indeed often attaching the word arts to other phrases to indicate approval , as for example "Economic recovery me arts" etc. Once you have mastered the local dialect and immersed yourself in our ancient, deep and rich culture,it's unlikely you will ever want to go back.

On a more serious note, Paris or Dublin, are ye bleedin' mad or wah?

poussin78

Joe prim wrote: »

After the mediocrity that is modern day Paris, you'll be blissfully happy in Dublin. Miss the Champs Elysees? Try Rue O'Connell ( bit of frawnsay there!), the widest street in the world ( officially),with a choice of fine cuisine from every corner of the globe, much of it available on a "tout que vous pouvez manger" basis. Banks of the Seine? Try our boardwalk, a veritable honeypot for the jeunesse doree of the city,where the beau monde gather to discuss art and philosophy, as well as a venue for our many fine young athletes in training, recognisable by their colourful tracksuits.Feel free to greet passers-by with a friendly "storybud?" ( Gaelic for "What have you been up to lately my friend?) As for the Arts, you'll find the Irish to be extremely artistic,indeed often attaching the word arts to other phrases to indicate approval , as for example "Economic recovery me arts" etc. Once you have mastered the local dialect and immersed yourself in our ancient, deep and rich culture,it's unlikely you will ever want to go back.

On a more serious note, Paris or Dublin, are ye bleedin' mad or wah?

Aren't you being a tiny bit negative ?

Joe prim

poussin78 wrote: »

Aren't you being a tiny bit negative ?

Negative-Moi? Mais non ma cheri.:D

Maggie 2

Go for it. Ireland is still a great little country, with lots going for it. Come with an open mind and embrace the experience. Make up your own mind, as we're not the only ones suffering from the recession. Don't just stay in Dublin. The rest of the country has a lot to offer. Join as many clubs, sporting and social as you can. Taste the culture, not just the Guinness. The National Concert Hall has lots on all year round, as do the many music venues. Horse racing and greyhound racing are also year round activities. There are lovely museums and art galleries.

Eve_Dublin

HellFireClub wrote: »

What an ignorant little elaboration. Many people who pass their opinions on this website and are rightly furious with how this country is being run, are actually engaged in their own campaign to keep small businesses open, keep people in jobs, keep poverty from the door. Them having their priorities right, and being too preoccupied with their own survival in this country at the moment, in an effort to stay on the right side of the poverty line, does not deprive any such person of a right of opinion on these forums.

Not all of us in this country are being paid 50k or 60k upwards and the rest of it for working a year for a 35 hour an hour week in the public sector who are heavily unionised and therefore are organised to protest. Some of us have priorites that simply don't allow for us being a modern day Jim Larkin type activist but don't dare knock anyone struggling to survive and feed themselves and stay off the poverty line in this country at the moment when you are probably not even living in the country.

I'm living in a country with a much worse situation than Ireland's.

I'm talking about the people who moan and moan and moan constantly, not someone who expresses their outrage now and then (Like Qualitymark). I'm talking about posters of your ilk.

I'm on about 1200 a month and work from 8am and get home about 10pm at night with no holiday pay and am unemployed 3 months of the year through no fault of my own but I attend protests fairly regularly here (Spain).

You can make excuses all you like but you are one of the worst perpetrators on boards for constantly moaning about everything related to Ireland but yet you admit yourself you haven't attended a protest since college (I'm presuming that was a number of years ago). Are you telling me you have no spare time to attend one? Not even one? I say that's bollocks. I'm not suggesting the moaners on here become modern day che guevaras but it's such a damn cop out to say most people have no time at all to make their disgust known beyond After Hours. How come the Spanish, who work the longest hours in Europe for some of the lowest salaries in Europe with a finite dole system find time?

Then you proclaim enough is enough....what do you mean by that? All of a sudden you have time now, do you? Or you're realising you can't mouth off anymore on Boards without putting your money where your mouth is?

I'm specifically talking about the posters who moan constantly yet do nothing. Not those who rightfully express their outrage in a constructive way backing up their statements with facts (because things are far from perfect in Ireland, I agree with that...but it's not the hell hole you make it out to be and as Madame X said, it's offensive to those genuinely struggling in 3rd world countries to suggest it is). So I'll ask you, as a poster who seems in a constant state of outrage, what are you going to do about it or are you all talk?

Overflow

fkt wrote: »

A choice between Ireland and a socialist country... You have my sympathies.

You clearly know nothing if you believe that statement is true ! Still living in the bubble i see.

poussin78

Joe prim wrote: »

Negative-Moi? Mais non ma cheri.:D

"ma chérie" si tu veux être correct.

sam1970

If you have a job to come to why not .Dublin is the best place in the world

Joe prim

poussin78 wrote: »

"ma chérie" si tu veux être correct.

Zhe parlay le frawnsay fonetique seuelment,desolé, ma petty poussin parisenne:D

Gone Drinking

sam1970 wrote: »

If you have a job to come to why not .Dublin is the best place in the world

Might be a LITTLE over the top saying that! :P

Its deffiently a great place, lots of it, at least!

poussin78

poussin78 wrote: »

Thanks for your (very diverging) views !
I am indeed torn between France and Ireland ! I have more friends in France, but family in Ireland ... Professionally, the job in Ireland would be an excellent opportunity for me .... Personally, I'm just coming out of a relationship so the change could be good (if social life permits !!!) ... BUT, I will very much miss my access to an excellent health care system and certain other comforts here. Not that there's any major problem, but as someone mentioned routine tests are not carried out in Ireland an I guess the security here is knowing that if something is to be picked up on it will be, and all treatment will be covered. Surely, if one is insured by VHI the cover is quite good ? At this point in my career though, I couldn't dream of such a high salary in France... But money is not the most important factor by any means ...
I also realize it's a bit silly to post big decisions on boards but sometimes it's good just to hear reactions and see what inner reactions they prompt ...
In terms of social activities in Dublin, here's my profile (let me know if you think I'll be bored) : "artsy" type, interest in music and theatre (alternative and independent as well as classical), always like discovering new quaint places (bookshops, bars, cafes), love going out to bars (by no means tea total, far from it, but don't get drunk or like evenings which revolve around drunkenness ... I.e. like being able to have interesting discussions and craic), like nightclubs ok but hate any kind of place with a "pulling" atmosphere ! ... Don't know how easy it would be to meet people as a 30 year l old girl (not on the pull !!)
Cheers

OP, I'm not implying anything, but not only do you have perfect English, you also use idiomatic expressions, even Irish expressions flawlessly...

Where did you learn your English?

Manny Pacquiao

Madam_X wrote: »

I'm relaxing on a comfy seat in a bar right now, surrounded by contented, relaxed people - well dressed, well fed, talking about whatever they wish. Out the window I see parked cars, all fairly new. I think it's a ****ing disgrace to lie about Ireland being a third world hole, a horrible place to live. Those who do so haven't the first ****ing iota as to what actually constitutes same.

Oh hey, guys, I'm heading down to the bar to log-on to Boards.ie and converse with strangers on the Internet.

poussin78

Leonard Shy Hoagie wrote: »

OP, I'm not implying anything, but not only do you have perfect English, you also use idiomatic expressions, even Irish expressions flawlessly...

Where did you learn your English?

I never said I was French ... -;)

Madam_X

Madam_X wrote: »

I'm relaxing on a comfy seat in a bar right now, surrounded by contented, relaxed people - well dressed, well fed, talking about whatever they wish. Out the window I see parked cars, all fairly new. I think it's a ****ing disgrace to lie about Ireland being a third world hole, a horrible place to live. Those who do so haven't the first ****ing iota as to what actually constitutes same.

Agreed. I think the Celtic Tiger had some people so spoiled, they've lost all sense of perspective. When I go back to Dublin, I meet up with friends, some of whom are on the dole. I get that being on the dole is boring and depressing but they have no idea how lucky they are to even have it. They've all got nice, new clothes, they go out drinking regularly, think nothing of stopping for a chipper or a Chinese on the way back from the pub, all have iPhones. All this without even having a job.

Here in Spain (which isn't even a third world hellhole either), most young people aren't even entitled to the dole and when you get it, it's only for a limited time and a really measly amount. I know plenty of young Spaniards working 10 hours a day for less than you get on the dole in Ireland and they're the lucky ones. A lot of my students here are on the dole and desperately trying to improve their English in the hope they'll find a job before their dole runs out. I see people going through the bins every single day - normal people - and there are 2 or 3 different soup kitchens and food pantries in my neighbourhood.

I'm not saying Ireland is paradise, but I think some people need to do a bit of research and find out what a REAL third world country is.

poussin78

poussin78 wrote: »

I never said I was French ... -;)

Why are you giving that impression, then? People are talking to you as if you are and you haven't corrected anyone. When I read your OP, I assumed you were Irish and thinking of returning but it's a bit odd that you haven't made that clear. Where in Ireland are you from?

poussin78

Leonard Shy Hoagie wrote: »

Why are you giving that impression, then? People are talking to you as if you are and you haven't corrected anyone. When I read your OP, I assumed you were Irish and thinking of returning but it's a bit odd that you haven't made that clear. Where in Ireland are you from?

I've lived all my adult life in France, that's all.

Madam_X

Manny Pacquiao wrote: »

Oh hey, guys, I'm heading down to the bar to log-on to Boards.ie and converse with strangers on the Internet.

Of course! Nothing to do with waiting for friends because of arriving early, and going online on one's smartphone the way one might read a book or a newspaper to keep occupied while waiting.

Madam_X

HellFireClub wrote: »

What an ignorant little elaboration. Many people who pass their opinions on this website and are rightly furious with how this country is being run, are actually engaged in their own campaign to keep small businesses open, keep people in jobs, keep poverty from the door. Them having their priorities right, and being too preoccupied with their own survival in this country at the moment, in an effort to stay on the right side of the poverty line, does not deprive any such person of a right of opinion on these forums.
Not all of us in this country are being paid 50k or 60k upwards and the rest of it for working a year for a 35 hour an hour week in the public sector who are heavily unionised and therefore are organised to protest. Some of us have priorites that simply don't allow for us being a modern day Jim Larkin type activist but don't dare knock anyone struggling to survive and feed themselves and stay off the poverty line in this country at the moment when you are probably not even living in the country.

You're in dire circumstances - many people are. Self-employed people are in a very precarious situation that's not enviable; their lack of entitlement to state assistance if for example they became ill really sucks. Ordinary people have to clean up the mess caused by the Celtic tiger - nobody's denying that reality. But your personal situation does not paint an accurate picture of the overall, so to say it's a terrible place to live, due to that being the case for you personally, is wide off the mark. Plus you don't have to be earning 50k to have a decent quality of life here. It is a good place to live if you are lucky enough to be in employment, which the OP will be.

jelfs

Is your job in politics? Sure if you're a politician, you'll be grand

Scioch

Madam_X wrote: »

Of course! Nothing to do with waiting for friends because of arriving early, and going online on one's smartphone the way one might read a book or a newspaper to keep occupied while waiting.

He's just jealous because he's doing nothing and would love to be down the pub fiddling on his phone. Same old story, trying to find something wrong with whatever everyone else is doing so they dont have to do anything themselves.

You dont have to explain yourself, I'm sure your "friends" will show up soon *wink*.

Madam_X

Oh that? That was lunchtime!

Scioch

So it was, sorry didnt register the time on the post. Let me rephrase it then as - Hope you had a nice lunch with your "friends".