Irish Citizen, Working in UK, moving to Ireland with Newborns--- HELP! ADVICE NEEDED!

emzymorr

Hi Everyone!!

First time using boards but I actually don't know where else to begin!
Ok, so basically I am an IRISH CITIZEN but moved to UK in 2014 and worked for the NHS ever since. My Fiance is a BRITISH CITIZEN but actually grew up in Ireland, went to university in Ireland and we moved to the UK together. We are currently 20 weeks pregnant with twins which we are SUPER EXCITED about but we are starting to think of logistics etc. We don't have any family here in the UK so we want to move home once the twins are born and we are all fit-to-fly etc to be near family and generally allow them a better childhood. As I have 12 months maternity leave entitlement I plan to take all of this and return to work in the UK for the minimum amount of time afterwards to pay this back (which I find a bit ridiculous but that's another story), but plan to leave the twins and husband back in Ireland and eventually get a full time job in Ireland after this is paid back (make sense??). A bit complicated but a definite necessity considering if I did not return for 3 months I would not be entitled to any occupational maternity pay.
So, my questions are, considering our citizenship and plans to return to Ireland:
1) Will the twins be entitled to both Irish and UK passports (I'm almost sure they will), and how difficult will these be to get considering we would like to move home asap?
2) Will the twins be entitled to child benefit in IRELAND or just the UK? Or which would we need to claim? The difference in benefits in Ireland seems HUGE compared to the UK (Ireland being considerably larger). Would they be entitled to this in Ireland even though me or their dad haven't worked in Ireland in 4 years?
3) Will I be able to continue to receive my maternity pay if I move back to Ireland?
4) Can I start working in Ireland before I pay back the time to the NHS in the UK? (The final 3months mat leave in NHS is unpaid)
5) Will my GP organise all the necessary follow up appointments necessary for the babies seeing as we obviously won't be in the UK for them.
Thankfully, our landlord is fab and that's not an issue at the moment, the twins are due the beginning of February all going well and our landlord is allowing us to be flexible with moving etc. depending on how I am doing and how the twins are doing. At least that's one thing we don't have t worry about atm!!
Any info on ANY of this is greatly appreciated!! I'm sure we're not the first couple to want to move back to Ireland from London after having babies so I'd love to hear anyone's experience if they have done the same.

Lumina

I would contact Citizens Information for the area you are from or going to reside via email. They are usually incredibly helpful.

http://centres.citizensinformation.ie/

rainbow kirby

On the citizenship question - with one Irish and one British parent your kids are definitely considered dual citizens. I'm a dual citizen, hubby just has Irish citizenship and we can get both passports easily for our London born son.