My Christmas & New Years highlight was not having to get on a flight back to London! 2008 and the subsequent years saw huge numbers of my generation leave Ireland to find employment. I bumped into a few friends who were home for Christmas and the conversation inevitably turned to “when are you moving back?” and “what’s it like being at home?”. I myself made the move back in 2018 and by far the most common topics I get asked about are housing and the jobs market. Here’s my take on both.
Contrary to popular belief, not all the jobs are in Dublin. You will be surprised with the opportunities on offer from global multinationals scattered around the countryside. Project Ireland 2040 (the Government's long-term strategy to make Ireland a better country) aims to provide balanced regional development in order to reduce Dublin’s growing economic domination. It will prioritise growth in the major cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford, with the capital forecast to grow at a slower rate under this plan. This is resulting in a lot of FDI in the regions. My advice here is to secure a job before you move back. It’s never too early to start looking and in some cases the process can take up to 6 months. Get the right job first and let that determine where you settle. If you’re lucky, you might find yourself on the Wild Atlantic Way!
Don’t let newspaper headlines put you off. Yes rents and property prices in Ireland can be expensive but that’s not the case for the entire country. There are more affordable options outside of Dublin. The shortage of rental properties around the country is well documented. Obviously rent is higher in cities than it is in rural areas. This is particularly the case in Dublin, where the costs of rental accommodation has soared in recent years. Give serious consideration to settling in or closer to another city. Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford will offer much better value for money and subsequently a better quality of life. Remember, compared to where you are now, Ireland is a pretty small country and you’re never much more than 2 hours away from someone! From my experience, the rights of tenants in Ireland do not include as much security of tenure as in other countries so be cautious when handing over a large deposit. The main sites for finding rental property in Ireland are Daft.ie and Rent.ie. Given the high demand for accommodation I would imagine it to be difficult to secure something unless you’re already in the country. If possible, consider moving in with family for a few months until you secure something.
In all, the move back home has been a very positive one. I’ve since become a father and it has opened my eyes to a whole new world of childcare and parenting. Being close to family (grandparents in particular!) has never been more important.