But, to complete your move, you still have a few odds and ends to tidy up.
Notify people
of your new address.
Keeping track of paperwork is a hassle, but
it is, unfortunately, necessary. Once you settle down, be sure to send a
change of address to all the companies with whom you still have business.
Pension funds, stock funds, insurers, credit card companies, banks, and
suchlike should be included among the loved ones you notify of your new
location.
If you're in the enviable position of having
work when you move to Ireland, pat yourself on the back. Well done! Better
yet, if you're retired or independently wealthy, pat your wallet on the
back. But, if you've got to scramble to find employment, you'll want to
check the papers.
FAS is the national training
and employment agency. You might want to check them out. At the least they'll
put you in contact with local people who know of any local positions. FAS
is as good a place to start as Ireland offers.
The Net has hundreds of job placement firms
online. For addresses of a bunch of them and a much more complete discussion
of employment prospects, click here.
The national social
security and pension system in Ireland is known by its acronym - PRSI. While
not exactly catchy, it's easier to pronounce than "Pay Related Social
Insurance". In a nutshell, the title says it all: the more you pay
into the system, the more you get out upon retirement or in the event of
personal health or unemployment problems.
If you want the full
details, be sure to take a quick look at the online
booklet put up by the Department of Welfare. The first paragraphs are
written in clear English, but it soon degenerates into pages of gobbledygook
regarding levels of payment. That's because there are a gazillion benefits
and conditions covered by the PRSI system from widows' pensions to occupational
injuries and the booklet gives you the lowdown on all of them. And then
it details which of these benefits you're entitled to based on what you've
paid into the system.
Worry not. The essential
thing is that you will need a PPS number - Personal Public Service. If you want
to work in Ireland, file taxes, collect child benefits, get a provisional
car licence, or have any official interaction with the state, then you'll
want to get on down to your nearest Employment Exchange and get yourself
and your spouse and even your kids one of these essential collections of
digits.
Of course, in Ireland,
it's never quite that simple. For one thing, finding the telephone number
and location of your nearest Employment Exchange office is difficult. Your
neighbours will probably know where it is, but the one sure way to find
it is to pick up your local telephone directory. In the front of every phone
book are the "Green Pages", a list of government departments and
offices throughout Ireland. Find the green page listings for the Department
of Social, Community and Family Affairs. There you'll see a county by county
listing of all local Social Welfare offices. Call the nearest one and ask
them where the local Employment Exchange office is located.
For required ID's and lots of advice from people who have been through the process, check out the Full Site.
Get Involved
The best way to meet people in Ireland to
to get involved. Join the local sports group, the walking club, the drama
society, the parish choir.... There's tons happening in Ireland. Meet your
neighbours. They're guaranteed to be a sociable, friendly lot. Hoist a few
pints at the local. Enjoy. This is Ireland!
Get to know your neighbours and become part of the community is my most important Irish advice. Because it is the tightly woven community that most distinguishes this place.
For more information
and links, order the Full Site.
Among the topics covered
in this section are getting an RSI/PPS number, registering for child benefit,
checking out the local schools, finding an internet service provider, support
groups and more, more! MORE! (Sorry, I got carried away...)
mbit
Ireland Internet Services Ltd