RIP-OFF IRELAND

Talking about distribution costs (comparing the two countries I know best):

Bushmills is cheaper in Germany than in Ireland. Kerrygold butter is cheaper in Germany than in Ireland. Australian wine (now there are distribution costs!) or Guinness is cheaper in Germany than in Ireland. And that's even if you abstract the VAT in both cases.

Doesn't make sense really.

Yeah if you look at Lidl, they seel exactly the same vodka here that they sell in Germany, it's €5 in Germany €15 here!!!!!!

Christ stop, Im swinging between anger and depression.... EUR 15 huh? gimme two

Carraig says: "Drinks are delightfully cheap!"

I don't think bar prices are cheap nearly anywhere in the Republic of Ireland. What do you mean? One advantage of living north of the border in the U.K. is that drinks are a little cheaper here than Southern England and noticeably cheaper than London and Republic of Ireland.

You also say, 30 to 50 Euros for a double guest room is expensive, when that is one of the best prices I've heard for a room anywhere in Western Europe for a while. 40 Euros is around 14 pounds per person per night. I think you must have found the one cheap guest house in Ireland and decided to call it expensive.

And Ireland is celebrated for its clean, lovely drinking water. Yes, from taps as well as famous brands in bottles.

Daaahling, I compared Ireland with Germany, and the above mentioned prices were for Germany not Ireland!
Drinks are delightfully cheap in GERMANY compared to Ireland. It's helpful to read a post before answering it.

And Ireland is celebrated for its clean, lovely drinking water? Go ask the Galwegians, they are going to laugh their heads off ...

We can't drink the water in Clonmel either. Been like that for the last 2 months and no word of when it's going to stop. Doesn't bother me I just boil it, but eldery people and young people have to be so careful. I just joined the gym in our local hotel, 600 euros for the year, all money up front, no chance of leaving the contract early when I will envitably have to move out of the area. There is just no competion. There is a huge sign on the way into the pool warning people not to drink the shower or pool water because of the contamination (not that I make a habit of drinking pool water you understand , but it's sometimes unavoidable)

To Pepi (quoted below) sorry to hear about your friends experience below I think she was very unlucky what part of Ireland did she go to? Irish guys are usually particularly friendly to foreign girls : ) What does water being crap mean? Water in Ireland is generally regarded as being very healthy I drink it all the time and tap water never tastes like much anywhere.

Sometimes the country can be a bit clicky but I think that happens in most places she could have joined a social club for example (not criticising just mentioning the possibilities there are so many in this age). The one thing I would say is that transport infrastructure is dreadful outside Dublin and traffic is manic in Dublin and I have advised people before not to rent a car in Ireland is they're from a country with good roads as they will be shocked! Just my two cents.

"Well, one of my best friend's moved over there last Jan (got offered a good job) and is moving back here next Mon because it's just too expensive to live over there, even with a well paying job. Make of it what you will. Plus she said the Irish are unfriendly, make no effort to get to know you, like to socialise in their own small cicrles, and the whole country is like a third world one, for instance no water bill because the water is so crap you can't even drink it! But that's just one person's (and note NOT my) opinion. "

Irish income tax is lower than the European average, something the whingers overlook when talking about the so-called lack of disposable income in Ireland.

As for our roads, they've improved an awful lot and are much better than the ones north of the border. Cheaper petrol too!

As for drinking water, we drink it from the tap (apart from recent events in Galway) unlike many of our European neighbours. It tastes good too.

We're attracting immigrants from all over the world. We must be doing something right. 20 years ago the country was dead and everyone wanted to leave. Some people are never satisfied.

i wouldn't completly agree with what you've said there celticrover...roads may be improving in certain areas. but still here in the west, we've got some national primary roads covered in potholes!!

yeah there are a lot of immigrants here. do you ever speak to them? are they happy? i know a lot of indians and banglasdeshis here, and they are far from happy. they're here to work their ass of for a couple years, make some money and go home. they're working 16 hours a day trying to make money! i really think some people need to take their rosed tinted sun glasses off!!!