The Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade provides key points of information for Irish emigrants planning a move home to work.
If you’re thinking of returning to Ireland, practical things to consider include finding a place to live, finding a job or getting help to start up a new business, welfare payments, accessing information on schools and childcare, having a valid driving licence, taking out motor insurance and making pension and perhaps private healthcare arrangements.
A good first port of call is the Global Irish website at www.dfa.ie. This hub was set up by the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade for emigrants and those of Irish descent. It includes a section for those considering returning to Ireland, bringing together information on a range of issues and providing helpful tips on setting up home in Ireland. The Irish Times also has a new ‘Returning to Ireland’ guide with information on jobs, housing, health and education, and advice from Irish emigrants who’ve already moved home.
The #hometowork information campaign was developed to raise awareness among Irish people living abroad that opportunities are available to live, work or set up a business in Ireland. While the campaign centred on the run-up to Christmas and the beginning of January 2016, when many Irish people living abroad came home to visit family and friends, there is a wealth of information available online for people considering returning home at any time of the year.
1. Finding a home
There are a number of websites that can help in your search and the most popular are www.myhome.ie and www.daft.ie. Further details of trends in rents and house prices are available on the Irish Times’ Returning to Ireland Guide. Another useful resource is Ireland Move Club, a blog full of helpful tips on moving to Ireland, while Ireland’s Call is an award-winning app that helps you decide where to live when you come home including information on the healthiest towns, most competitive house prices and shortest commutes. The importation of pets into Ireland is strictly controlled to ensure that diseases such as rabies are not introduced. The EU Passports for Pets system allows cats, dogs and ferrets to travel between EU member states. This EU Pet Passport certifies that the pet has been identified by means of a microchip and vaccinated against rabies while pets from higher risk non-EU countries will also require a blood test.
2. Finding a job
There are a number of resources to help find work in Ireland. The Global Irish Hub provides a list of these such as Jobs Ireland – a fully searchable jobs board run by the Department of Social Protection. IT’s Happening Here features opportunities in the technology sector, especially among Irish-owned software companies. Grad Ireland is Ireland’s official graduate jobs and careers website while #allaboutjobs captures the latest news and other useful information on the Government’s work to help create jobs and tackle unemployment. If you need advice on your CV and on the recognition of international qualifications, check out Citizens Information. Changes in the economy over the last few years have required many people to reskill and retrain to work in new sectors. If you are considering reskilling or retraining then check out Skills to Work, which is aimed at making it easier for jobseekers and employers to know what Government skills initiatives are available to them.
3. Setting up a business
There are a number of financial and programme supports available to anyone who wants to set up in business in Ireland. Enterprise Ireland runs a Start in Ireland programme, which seeks to attract people, both Irish and non-Irish, from overseas to set up business in Ireland. A network of Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) across the country provides advice, information and support in starting up or growing a business. LEOs are for people interested in starting up a new business or already in business looking to expand. There are 31 dedicated teams across the local authority network in Ireland providing funding, mentoring and training supports. Supporting SMEs provides information on over 80 Government supports for business from over 30 departments and agencies totalling over €2 billion. Whether looking for mentoring, help with a business plan, funding, or to hire new staff, the Supporting SMEs Online Tool is a great first point of call. See www.supportingsmes.ie to get started.
4. Finding a school
Education is compulsory for children in Ireland from the ages of six to 16 or until students have completed three years of second-level education. The Department of Education & Skills has a nationwide Find a School search facility on its website.
The Citizens Information service provides lots of useful information about moving to schools in Ireland from overseas. The Citizens Information service provides comprehensive information about the third level options available and how to access these when moving to Ireland. This information includes rates, rules, recognition of qualifications and how to apply.
5. Accessing childcare
Crèche facilities are largely private in Ireland. However, the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) scheme provides a free year of early childhood care and education for children of pre-school age. The childcare directory, www.childcare.ie, provides a list of crèches in Ireland. Tusla is the child and family agency and it provides a range of services for children including information on pre-schools, play groups, nurseries, crèches and similar services for the under-sixes.
6. Transport and driving licences
Transport for Ireland is a comprehensive resource which provides information on public transport. It is possible to exchange a driving licence issued by an EU member state or an EEA member state (Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland) for an Irish driving licence. It is also possible to exchange a driving licence issued by certain recognised states for an Irish driving licence. If you are the holder of a driving licences issued by a country that is not recognised for driving licence exchange, you cannot exchange your licence for an Irish licence. You will only get an Irish driving licence after you have gone through the full driver licensing procedure, starting with the driver theory test.
The Citizens Information service provides information on converting your driving licence to an Irish driving licence.
7. Motor insurance
A problem that many face when returning home is that of getting a competitive price on car insurance. While the introduction of the Gender Directive in 2012 has pushed the cost of insurance for men down (and women up), if you’ve been away for more than two years, your no-claims bonus will likely have expired. However, if you can produce confirmation that you have been continuously insured in your own name and were claims-free while away, this may be taken into consideration by the insurer but it is a matter for the company to decide.
8. Social welfare and pensions
Returning Irish emigrants should be eligible for most social welfare payments including jobseekers allowance, the state pension, carer’s allowance or child benefit. You may also be required to satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition in Ireland in order to be eligible for certain payments. In other words, you must prove you are back to live in Ireland permanently. The Department of Social Protection is responsible for regulations concerning welfare payments for people returning to Ireland. It provides comprehensive information on moving to Ireland on its website, www.welfare.ie. It also provides information on the transfer of private pensions to Ireland.
9. Taxation
The Revenue Commissioners, which is responsible for the collection of taxes in Ireland, have a ‘Moving to Ireland’ guide that gives advice on taxation.
Topics covered include personal taxation (including for the self-employed), buying and renting in Ireland, tax residence, remuneration packages, tax credits and pension contributions.
10. Naturalisation
The spouse or civil partner of an Irish citizen may apply for Irish citizenship through naturalisation after three years of marriage or civil partnership plus three years’ residence in the State. Details are available on the Global Irish website and on the website of the Department of Justice & Equality. For up-to-date information, check out the Global Irish Hub and follow the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade on Twitter at @dfatirl and @GlobalIrish.