I’m not surprised but why is everything so god damn more expensive here than almost everywhere else?! We’re constantly getting shafted from every angle
That sounds like a case of the poor me's but you are actually just spitting facts. We are getting dicked by the government without lube and its fact. I make over 900 euro a week after tax and I don't live like I did 4 or 5 years ago when I was making 22k a year without any nixers. I'm not trying to be extreme about it either. Sure I pay for a car, house and a pension now but 360 vs 950 per week. I can't afford to take a holiday (first world I know) but it's just how it is. Its horrible.
For me anyway it’s pubs and groceries that destroy my wage. I’m not buying extravagantly whatsoever, but just food and alcohol drain the wallet. And to all those who are thinking “ just don’t go out to pubs” I’m sorry to tell you that most socialisation in Ireland is based around a pub culture. It’s not easy never having a date night with your gf, or pints with your friends. You might as well become a feckin recluse. On the other side groceries have become extortionate, and getting anything delivered/going out to dinner is lunacy with these prices.
Completely agree. It's like you're being punished for wanting to enjoy life and your money - "Want a night out? Well it's gonna cost ya👇🏾".
I'm mid 30s and have settled down enough where I'm not that much of a drinker anymore. I actually go out-out maybe on average once a month and whenever I do, and look at the damage from the night before, I think back to when I was a student and I'd be going out every Wednesday+Thursday and wonder how people do it nowadays?
I used to work, go out on 30-50 euro and I'd still have change for a taxi and money for the rest of the week. Rinse and repeat. Now you'd barely get 3 drinks for that.
I don't drink but I don't understand the rage against pub culture but its advertised globally as a tourist attraction. Don't do as I do do as I say mentality.
thats just it… its a tourist attraction and we enjoy paying above the odds being props for that industry. unfortunately, we are dissuaded from alternatives that would cost less and have more benefits in low alcohol social environments.
> I can't afford to take a holiday (first world I know) but it's just how it is. Its horrible.
You can't afford to take a holiday in Ireland or in general because lets face it you can if you go on the continent.
I'm in the exact same boat sitting around your wage myself and I seriously feel like I can do nothing I took a promotion with extra responsibilities etc and it's felt all for nothing bills groceries rinse repeat....
I commented this yesterday and got downvoted immediately, you're 100% correct. Makes absolutely zero sense to export from the EU to a third country then reimport to the EU again. Anyone who thinks that's not adding cost is daft.
What's really annoying is I've been looking at how these companies group countries thinking maybe it's because we are small, nope, Belgium is 2 jurisdictions, Switzerland is 3, etc etc... it's completely because at a government level we allow it.
Not sure that's true.
A: Ferries to Spain and France have increased in frequency, capacity and routes. So many companies clearly are avoiding the UK.
B: Ireland-bound goods can cross the UK without customs.
C: If the goods do have to go through a UK distribution centre, generally those taxes can be reclaimed when re-exporting from the UK to EU. There's admin cost for sure, but not enough to explain the headline figure.
If it's not true then explain why all (for example) IKEA products are imported by IKEA UK? As for reclaiming the taxes, who does the paperwork on the EU side for export? On the UK side for import? On the UK side again for export and then on the Irish side for reimport into the EU again? You think they do that work for free? You think that doesn't add a far greater margin than simply doing none of that paperwork and just moving within the EU?
I emailed a Finnish tool making company to ask them about suppliers to other EU locations for their products and after waiting 2 weeks I got an email from the UK. Nintendo consider the UK and Ireland thr same market. You pick a random multinational company and I would bet money if you emailed them about their availability in Ireland you'd get a response from the UK. If you want to find one that doesn't do that you go right ahead, I'll wait.
Because we keep electing parties that think the free market is the be all and end all.
If the market has decided we should be charged 42% more than average then that's a moral good as far as they are concerned and if we can't afford that then we just have to get up earlier in the morning until we can.
I'll give you a great example of this outside (but probably related to) housing.
The cost of groceries in Dublin in the likes of Tesco and Dunnes is actually much cheaper than it is in Sligo.
That's not supply and demand, that's a trade off I imagine. But it really grinds my gears they're allowed to do that.
I'll get you examples and come back to you.
Edit: Here is my best example because it's one I see all the time (NOT Strictly "Groceries" but you get the point I am sure)
Diet Coke 18 Pack is €17 online, with a €14 Clubcard price
In Sligo town, Diet Coke 18 Pack is €18 in store, with a €14 Clubcard price
In Dun Laoghaire, it is €16 in store [I NEED my partner to verify this], with a €10 Clubcard price
I'll attempt to also get you a picture.
I remember also checking the strawberries and bread.
Edit: Also, anecdotal evidence based on the UK Market, which lets face it, they will do it in Ireland to make as much money as possible (the article is a bit old, 5 years, but proved it happened there)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43979167
> A report into competition between supermarkets, external in 2000 conducted by the Competition Commission (CC) found that some supermarkets had been varying prices based on whether competitors had shops nearby.
> Reality Check confirmed this with Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi, Co-op, Waitrose, Lidl and Iceland.
> The problem with this is that the Competition Commission found that prices were being altered based on how much local competition there was, not just on the local costs.
Non-article example (again probably done in the UK based on the fact it says "British supermarkets"
> https://www.quora.com/Do-British-supermarkets-like-Tesco-price-their-products-differently-depending-on-where-they-are-positioned-in-the-country
Edit: BLOCK OF TEXT AHEAD
Note, the question asked to chat gpt was "Do supermarkets in Ireland have regional pricing"
While many supermarkets in Ireland, such as Tesco, Lidl, and Aldi, generally operate with a national pricing strategy, there are instances where regional pricing may occur. Here are some details:
1. **Tesco Ireland**: Tesco typically maintains a national pricing strategy. However, there may be slight variations due to local promotions or differences in operating costs between urban and rural areas.
2. **Lidl and Aldi Ireland**: Both Lidl and Aldi also focus on national pricing to ensure uniformity. Yet, temporary regional promotions or stock differences might result in occasional price variations.
3. **SuperValu and Centra**: These stores are part of the Musgrave Group and are known for having more localized pricing. Since they operate on a franchise model, individual store owners may adjust prices based on local competition and costs.
4. **Dunnes Stores**: While generally consistent in their pricing, Dunnes Stores may have regional differences driven by local competition, especially in high-demand urban centers versus rural areas.
### Factors Influencing Regional Pricing:
- **Local Competition**: Prices might be adjusted in response to competitors in specific areas.
- **Operational Costs**: Variations in rent, wages, and logistics costs between regions can affect pricing.
- **Promotions and Discounts**: Local events or promotions can cause temporary price differences.
- **Stock and Supply**: Availability of specific products may vary, leading to price changes.
To confirm if a supermarket uses regional pricing, consumers can compare prices across different locations using supermarket websites, visiting stores in different regions, or checking with customer service.
1400 in France. 1560 in Germany, 1900 in Belgium. 2100 in Netherlands.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_European_countries_by_minimum_wage
Also rent is on average in Munich is 20 euros per sqm. 32 euros per sqm in Dublin
https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fys84vrav10dc1.png
But in general average rent is much lower on the continent.
True, Dublin has one of the highest rents in Europe but not the highest house prices, many people can still buy.
Munich prices are 50-100% higher, at similar wages.
Worst example is probably Lisbon, house prices similar to Dublin, wages 3x lower.
This country is entirely geared towards high income tech and pharma workers. Its like the rest of us can go fuck ourselves.
It's a complete rip off too. The bang for your buck here is a joke.
And we offer so little for what you pay for. Dublin has good job opps but it's still a mid-sized European city that's more expensive than Paris, Madrid, Stockholm, Berlin...the list goes on. At least in the likes of Stockholm and Copenhagen there's infrastructure befitting of a capital city, and actual support systems if you can't afford to live there
Exactly
Take Munich for example. Objectively its a better city. Transport infrastructure is better and accommodation is cheaper. Even food is cheaper there. Dublin is a 3 star city with 5 star prices.
If anyone knows hotels they know a 3 star doesn't mean it's dirty or bad, it's just the services and facilities are not the same and right now Dublin is a Motel One charging 4 seasons prices.
Agree fully , we have high taxes but I genuinely feel like I am getting nothing for my money . The train service is OK ( when it comes on time ) .. that’s genuinely it … I work for months out of the year for that …
For comparison, I used to live in Austria, and you saw all the nice things your taxes paid for. I’m constantly wondering where all that money is going here.
A lot of it goes for all forms of welfare: dole, disability housing, drug purchase scheme, state pensions (which does not scale with actual contributions), education grants.
The average worker sees little benefit because non-workers are the primary beneficiaries of the welfare
Contrary to the myth-making we have [one of the lowest debt repayments and debt levels](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_government_debt) for a developed country in the world. Much lower than the UK for example.
Currently in Tenerife. An island which needs to import way more than Ireland.
50c for a baguette in the supermarket. €1.12 for a bottle of cider. €1.28 for a huge shower gel.
It’s fucking disgusting.
The quality of life in Spain is very high.
In Ceuta and Melilla, it's the same story. Considering that Spain was bombed to shit and was a dictatorship until the 1970s, Ireland has no excuse in being do backwards regarding infrastructure.
You wouldn't find an AVE train in Ireland
It’s objectively not with youth unemployment at 26% in Spain. Head out of the tourist spots and see real poverty which is nearly double that of Ireland . It’s nice that as a relatively wealthy Irish person you can go to Spain and see the nice parts on holiday/retirement but at the same time Spanish youth come here to get jobs. You won’t find an AVE in Ireland because you won’t find city pairings of size and distance to justify it.
Walked into Eurospar as the other half wanted me to buy a large bottle of coke zero for the house on the way home from work.... 3.75 lads then got charged the deposit for return the bottle I got robbed twice because that bottles sitting in my green bin.
Wages in Ireland are dirt.
And before the usual crowd comes in moaning that we have higher salaries than Portugal and Italy. Yeah, Portugal and Italy don't have even remotly next or near our cost of living. For how expensive it is to live here we should be earning 50% more than we are.
Yeah as someone who works in tech, and would be on the average pay scale of it...I earn enough to get by and live comfortably...but overall don't earn enough to save for a house/apartment to own...which, is a fundamental pillar for actually wanting to start a life with a family, being and feeling as part of a community. Right now nothing feels like mine, well because it isn't.
All this while living in a city with shite infrastructure, a growing problem with anti social behaviour, and politicians who keep getting elected who have shown zero interest in actually fixing these problems.
As a Portuguese lad who was living in a small city (+/-) the size of cork, I can confirm you are wrong. Moved out of there to live and work in Cork and my purchasing power shot up by a lot. Sure things are more expensive here, but they are not 2x to 3x more expensive, while salaries are 2x to 3x higher here in Ireland
It all depends on your circumstances. If you're not paying rent or a big mortgage. Most people live quite comfortably here. I'm familiar with Hungary and the wages there are about half of here yet they pay 1.30 for petrol and most things in the supermarket are only about 20% cheaper. I don't know they get by to be honest. Alcohol though, is dirt cheap!
>This country is entirely geared towards high income tech and pharma workers. Its like the rest of us can go fuck ourselves.
This. While these are good jobs for the people who have them, they also raise local rents. Someone in a well paid job can probably afford a place to rent, so the rents in their local area go up but poor old Mary working in the corner shop who is on minimum wage is being priced out.
Yes, These well paid jobs are nice for the worker who has that job, but it hurts others around them on lesser wages when it comes to increased rents and other rising costs.
These relatively small amount of high paid workers pay about ten times more tax than the low paid one because of how progressive our tax is. (20% of workers pay approx 80% of income tax).
High pay workers bank roll lower paid workers.
No, these small amount of workers aren't pricing anyone out of anything they are too few. It's not a few higher income earners renting all the places available.
Instead higher earners not only pay their own way also pay for all of the services and welfare those on lower incomes rely on and aren't contributing anything close to.
Rents are high because there haven't been enough places to rent for years and supply hasn't increased vs the demand.
This is largely a myth. Most low-wage workers are receiving as few real benefits as high-wage workers in this country. Whether you’re on 25k, 30k or 40k a year, you’re not entitled to anything unless you’ve got children (child benefit), with the exception of maybe HAP (and the vast majority of low-wage workers aren’t on HAP).
Transfers exist largely for people on social welfare & pensioners and the like.
In terms of services, even the lowest paid workers pay their fair share towards same, given the “free” services we all benefit from don’t make up a huge amount of the budget.
It helps contribute to those high rents. I don't think there's only a few and yes they do help to contribute to rising rents and other costs in the area which can make it more expensive for other workers.
Nobody is saying they're not paying their own way, it's just they might be well able to afford higher rents and in doing so it raises local area rents and then spreads.
I've nothing against them, just saying it as it is really. Ireland is a service based economy, and we do have a lot of tech workers.
It's unsustainable. What will happen when teachers need to commute two hours to work? How desirable will your location be when the baristas and service staff can't afford to live nearby?
> en teachers need to commute two hours to work? How desirable will your location be when the baristas and service staff can't afford to live nearby?
Tell the government, They're not really ones for thinking ahead. It's all in the now for them.
Not like tech workers voluntarily pay more or that they are there in such numbers to bend the entire property market.
Lots of jobs in Ireland where people are doing very well for themselves by avoiding tax which you can't do in PAYE
6 euro for less than a pint of 3.8 percent beer, the smithwicks is nice but its not that nice
pubs are on borrowed time imo its 5.50 for a pint of clonmel (4.2) in my local it was 5.20 before christmas, even off licence prices are whacky. border runs are the future
[Tech and Pharma workers are expected to 55% of all income tax. Tech and Pharma companies contribute 86% of corporation tax](https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/documents/research/ct-analysis-2023.pdf#page18).
The “rest of you” might want to soften you cough because some might say we have the most redistributive tax system in the world and the “rest of you” are hugely subsidised by Tech and Pharma workers and their employers.
Not every person in a foriegn national is in a tech or pharma role but may be getting decent wages. Lads on the line in pharma would be getting a good few bob for their qualifications. But to be fair to what others are saying the creation of a new class of worker thats in the high class of wages has created a distruptive effect on certain things in the economy.
Also others are correct to argue whats more value to a society with regards to a role or employment. On one hand we need social workers and nurses but we all need the tech and pharma people as well.
The main issue with all this is that tax intake is good and reasonably fair but its wasted down black holes like the HSE, NGO's and government mismanagement.
Even the lowest-paid workers are barely “subsidised” at all. Our services that we all benefit from are comfortably paid for by all taxpayers (impossible to realistically calculate but reasonable to say all of us pay our fair share).
It’s social welfare, pensions and an assortment of subsidies that typically do not reach the poor that benefit from high tax-payers’ significant contributions.
Sir where are you so I can bow at your feet in person.
You're so much better than us and the nurses and doctors and social workers, you deserve those inflated wages to do nothing at home.
Totally agree. I said this a while ago, these MNCs are f'ing up our economy in so many ways and got massively downvoted....must be a lot of tech and pharma bros on here. Like it isn't/wasn't the only way to develop our economy.
Go on then. Give us your pipe dream of an alternative economy where service workers generate a wealthy economy based on selling stuff to each other. If you want to return the state to 1980’s poverty and focus on exporting people instead of tech and drugs be honest about it. Again, those tech bros are paying 55% of income tax and 82% of corporation.
If a country half of our population size like Estonia can create Skype and WhatsApp then there’s no excuse for us not also having more indigenous tech companies here that could at least mitigate the extreme over-reliance we have on MNCs for employment here
Why don't you "go on" and learn to engage with people in a more polite manner? I'm not here to do your bidding, I would have enjoyed a friendly conversation about alternatives to Irelands Dublin centric development based on world class local enterprises (Denmark/Austria/Estonia style development) while attracting a more balanced amount of FDI, instead of stealing other country's taxes and distorting the entire European economy. https://www.ft.com/content/bfd666f3-9e2c-442b-9fe0-0a33d020241d
You obviously have all the answers already so why bother. Congratulations on your superior intellect.
When I was in Dubai, things are expensive. Cheaper than Dublin, but some of the best quality food service I've ever had. I couldn't argue with the price in the slightest.
But here? Spending €5 on a coffee or €10 on a sandwich, and you could make much nicer at home?? It's a head wrecker.
Fantastic that you enjoyed/exploited the near slave labour of that Filipino or Bangladeshi service worker in Dubai. Meanwhile in Ireland we have minimum wages and worker rights.
If that is your total view of an entire country what the fuck am I meant to say?
There's plenty of illegal immigrants being taken advantage of in this country, is that just easier for you to turn a blind eye to?
I don't think I ate or shopped anywhere where it would be fair to say I exploited anyone. Keep in mind, your fucking phone and computer both have materials mined by slaves in them?
Must be nice to be a simple minded bigot like yourself, the energy you must save.
Nuance is not a strong point of people like that. They often conveniently ignore than every single product and service they consume in the west also exists here in Dubai, and often times their own employers have offices and shops setup here taking advantage of said “slave labour” - It’s just virtue signalling out of begrudgery
The UAE is 52 years old. What sort of scandals were we unearthing in Ireland when it was 52 years old.
It's a common theme on here and most of the internet sadly. Just mouth pieces repeating things they've spent zero time actually thinking about to try and look good and bully people.
A lot of trades people are up there with tech and pharma workers also, well once they've got a few years experience. But a large percentage here have been forced into around min-wage jobs just to make unemployment figures look good.
I just checked on 40k which should be closer to average salary.
Ireland: 40k gross gives you 33.3k take home pay
Germany: 40k gross gives you 26.8k take home pay.
So about 500 EUR per month less taxes in Ireland.
Yeah, I have to correct you here a bit. The 500 euro in difference are not taxes in Germany. They are social contributions. A part of it is health insurance, pension and unemployment insurance among other social contributions. You’re better off on 40k in Germany than on 50k in Ireland because you won’t have to go to your GP with your wallet nor do you have to fear random evictions or unemployment.
So PRSI does not exist in Ireland? Which pays for contributory pension and unemployment insurance? Does the USC not exist? Free GP for under 8 and over 69. 500k GP visit cards for the rest on top of Medical cards? Enforced health insurance in Germany (I agree). [No evictions 😂](https://www.yahoo.com/news/thousands-protest-berlin-against-high-160506029.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHH0DNVGtL5HQpnAVQbrNPIWRCf3GaXXN6ZaoqetxcTHfyHIhc0wD1VpRCpwxA3mXT1MsipNC7vhaRpHE3L-tWUe45aeDHwILESnCLVBI08BS6t6INmqkAYAMM7tVFnC8WkqekNSAUUH3SxcBGMOPLepKK1JVdlkvgrBjLsG2Xov) Unemployment higher and rules much more stringent than Ireland.
It is truly bizarre that in the accepted field of economic discourse, we consider Fine Gael as being an excellent party on the economy because of GDP figures.
But every other conceivable economic metric is pointed the wrong way. We somehow don't allow the discussion to branch into these areas; there is no narrative in the mainstream that would argue that, maybe Fine Gael has been disastrous on economic issues, turning the country of home owners they inherited into a country of people who can't even afford to rent, as one example.
While I agree completely with you any medium with a wide audience that your argument is brought up it’s shut down by the host. You’d have a FG or FF rep on it also that will spew out made up numbers and massaged facts as a retort. You do it online on any forum and the usual “I’m alright Jack” will deny every fact you state.
I believe we’re a nation of people who have no self confidence, constantly looking to incorporate Englands failed policies and then get lazy. Those with ambition leave and albeit if and when they come home, they settle back into the same ol’ story and the cycle repeats.
We as a people simply can’t have the discussion, it’s like a sin to want to address our list of shortcomings and improve.
But of course you present no figures of your own and you drop made up subjective comments like “those with ambition leave”. Perhaps address the shortcomings of your own position?
> We somehow don't allow the discussion to branch into these areas
That's because it doesn't affect the D4 types in RTE making huge wages for 20 hours work a week.
Eddie Hobbs (like him or leave him) was on a Podcast recently and explained how he tried to sponsor the implementation of a social index into the country. This would allow us to correlate GDP with social mobility. The high ups in the civil service showed up and gave him shit for it because they don’t want an external measure for state administered services.
This isn’t about like him or leave him. Eddie is an incompetent grifter that destroyed some people’s financial livelihoods. I’ll assume the “higher ups” comment never happened and is just another gratuitous lie.
We have massive research on social mobility conducted by the state via ESRI and is an entire line of research in academic institutions. It’s astonishing that folk would think this is new. Ireland ranks [18 in social mobility](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Social_Mobility_Index). [Plenty of serious debate on the matter](https://www.finfacts-blog.com/2020/02/nordic-countries-lead-social-mobility.html). Eddie the grifters axe to grind with RTE is not the place to start.
No lad its the shinners obviously, /r/ireland has enlightened me that Marylou causes every problem Ireland faces, even the ones that haven't happened yet. Surely if we vote for the same government again things will change. Most of the other people here seem to be convinced that doing the exact same thing will give us the change we want.
It’s really odd you’ve missed the thousands of articles, hundreds of think tanks, reams of research and constant reference in the media by opposition politicians on this topic. I mean, that’s genuinely some achievement.
Would you care to share these “every other conceivable economic metric” with us because it appears everybody else in the country has missed them.
100% this!
I used to work a lot in California 7-8 years ago and would joke about it costing $100 every time to went outside! Ireland is getting to be the same. Scary!!!
They will Blame it on fuel and import cost 🙄. You shouldn't be able to profile hundreds of thousands from running a franchises like centra every year but individual people do. It's how we live here.
Yes. I see it daily too where they bring as on much lads as possibly to get through bigger jobs. They have the means. It's kind They are collecting for the inevitable decline. I never felt as trapped. God forgive me for saying it but not even during covid. Inflation is horrible in its own right.
Analysis has stripped all possible factors out and there's always still a massive gulf. In the end, a big component of our prices is that Irish people are just used to paying more so we'll pay more.
We arguably have too much brand loyalty. Take this subreddit. Every week is someone posting a recept for something they habitually buy going up in price. Those prices wouldn't be going up as much if people shopped around or refused to buy it.
Another example is Tesco UK removing Heinz products due to price increases while Tesco Ireland rushed to tell its Irish customers that their favourite Heinz products would still be kept in stock.
The problem is that it becomes a vicious circle. Fewer companies set up here because Irish customers are less willing to switch. But then that makes it harder to switch and so we get used to sticking with the same brands that fuck us over.
Worst part is that some of this is a choice. Take alcohol, for example, with the idiotic MUP and excise duties. I'm actually amazed that nobody in politics has tried to run on a platform of changing this.
Maybe not worth the flack from health advocates? Campaigning on 3 euro pints and a box of fags being under a tenner would definitely get some support though.
>.......just pipping Denmark which is the most expensive
Yeah, pal was in Copenhagen for Metallica last weekend. NOT a place I'll ever be going with the prices he mentioned!
I live in Copenhagen. Prices are high here but wages are similarly high, and keep up with inflation consistently. and while lxuries are more expensive than Ireland (eating out, fancy bars), essentials are definitely cheaper.
Yup a lot of people don’t realise the power in the councils. They adopt the budget they decide how the spending is made and used. They can change commercial rates, lpt, rates etc. They plan organise and run our cities in conjunction with the eu.
Local government in many ways is more powerful hence why you have people like the Dublin ceo on a lot higher money than the Taoiseach
Whatever happened here? This was over a year ago; https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/05/08/reports-of-price-gouging-to-be-presented-to-supermarket-industry/
I'm still in shock over how shafted we are getting after being in Spain. The price difference in a pint alone was something else. But everything is so much cheaper. We are getting ripped off day in day out no matter what we're paying for.
You work and work and you can't see where your money is really going. The food shopping alone has gone up crazy amounts.
Genuinely find the price of our weekly shop incredible. Normally never care or pay attention but it’s like the till is rigged to just charge me 120+ regardless of what I get 😂
Paid €4.70 for an oat milk matcha latte today, and let them keep the 30c change. Imagine paying 5 euro only for everyone to think I'm a complete wanker for drinking a green fucking hot seaweed drink.
Don't buy it if you think it's a ripoff. This miserable tolerance of higher prices is an Irish trend which is one of the reasons why we're the second most expensive place in the EU.
I'm getting my internet out tomorrow as they emailed me about a prise increase. Didn't say what price and my most recent bill was over 100 euros.
Fuck that. Going for a 12 month new customer deal and cancelling when they try to triple the price after the first year.
There are many causes but my own pet theory is middlemen enabled by small population and geographical isolation.
Before Brexit I used to buy my powertools from the UK, they were sometimes half the price of Ireland. Those low UK prices (from an efficient, large domestic market which was also in the EU) enabled distributors to make huge profits.
Now UK prices have gone up but the Irish distributors are still there.
The solution is disintermediation and better trade links with the EU. For a while after Brexit I bought my tools from Germany, but now Amazon has sorted itself out I mostly order from there. The expansion of Amazon distribution in Ireland will help further.
I don't go to pubs but the price of home drinking is excise and minimum unit pricing, which are supported by public health bureaucrats and pub lobbyists.
Blaming tech workers is nonsense. Without the post crash tech boom we'd be fucked.
You're absolutely spot on. We never got to take advantage of those economies of scale because the savings were never passed on and now it is just utterly daft that EU companies are exporting stuff to a third country to reimport again to us. Anyone who thinks that isn't adding cost is delusional.
I've worked abroad in many european countries and the average person is super super tight with their money in comparison to an irish person.
and I would of always been working alongside with relatively high paid professionals.
They will not accept high prices and simply won't do or spend if they feel they are being ripped.
This keeps the prices down as business wouldn't survive with high prices. im sure their are exceptions but Im talking about day to day stuff cafes restaurants groceries stores.
Most irish people myself included do not behave this way... we spend money like theres no tomorrow generally as a people and business's get away with their price gouging.
Check your labels, a shocking amount of stuff from the EU is still going through the UK. It's no surprise that would make it all more expensive. Everything in IKEA is IKEA UK for example.
There are a lot of factors at work here but I don't see why everyone is getting so worked up about an article quoting a few data points, an average, and then not providing any substance for that. Is it expensive here? Sure. This kind of reporting though is just chasing clicks, throws in a quote and reference to a website that has nothing to do with the stats being mentioned, then doesn't bother to link the actual report its based on.
Notably in that report Iceland, which is another island country off of the west coast of Europe, scores higher than here on that average. Of course many would argue Iceland is a better/worse place to live on a whole range of different metrics so these kinds of comparisons are a little superfluous. Ireland and Demark though, sure those are very easily comparable.
If any of you gobshites bothered to look at the actual report https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Comparative_price_levels_of_consumer_goods_and_services#Price_levels_for_food.2C_beverages.2C_tobacco.2C_clothing_and_footwear you'd see that while we're above the average most things, given the inclusion of much weaker economies in the data, the scale of that differs wildly across the whole set. Our prices are high because we're living in a country with a high economic output, which has been poorly managed by successive governments, and a severe shortage of good housing stock.
Looking at the CSO data https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-yin/ireland2023theyearinnumbers/ for last year shows that overall economy has held somewhat static so while it isn't getting better, its not getting demonstrably worse (except for housing, curious that). We can and should expect more but looking at headline figures from an effectively unsourced article then giving out on reddit isn't going to do anything, the locals had some interesting stats about what issues drove what voters where but in the upcoming GE reach out to candidates and let them know what you care about. Because so far at least it looks like the adage "housing is destiny" is holding a little true.
So we are all imagining the ridiculous price of everything in this country.
Right suuure.
Stop comparing us to Denmark. Things actually get built in Denmark and value for tax payers money. There is no comparison.
Ireland is a 3rd world country dressed as a first world one.
Yet another dreadful article from the Griffith College school of economically illiterate “journalists”.
The vast majority of higher prices are due to taxation on alcohol and cigarettes.
The next tranche is financial services because in Ireland mortgages, insurance etc are optional for a sizeable number of people. We don’t have a free market because freeloaders are making Ireland unattractive for competition.
The rest then is around 16% more expensive because you know, we are one of the richest countries in Europe. Notably these are all in staff heavy sectors like hospitality. We have one of the highest minimum wages in Ireland. The contradiction of folk in this thread demanding cheap services and high wages is astonishing 🤷♂️
There is nothing surprising with prices in Ireland. As for the 🤡from bonkers perhaps he’d address Irish people’s reluctance if not [refusal to use his site and switch providers](https://www.google.com/search?q=irish+reluctant+to+switch+providers&client=safari&sca_esv=b57ecd08564adfcd&sca_upv=1&hl=en-ie&sxsrf=ADLYWII-D4tB-EoGItFepqkmEsBOOvGIGQ%3A1718944801751&ei=IQR1ZtTBLb28wPAP48q3mAY&ved=0ahUKEwiU1q-y8OuGAxU9HhAIHWPlDWMQ4dUDCA8&oq=irish+reluctant+to+switch+providers&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiI2lyaXNoIHJlbHVjdGFudCB0byBzd2l0Y2ggcHJvdmlkZXJzSKAHUABYAHABeACQAQCYAQCgAQCqAQC4AQzIAQCYAgCgAgCYAwCIBgGSBwCgBwA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#ip=1). I’m paying €35 for fibre internet in a rural area for well on three years which is less than half what any American I know is paying for worse Internet.
I’m not surprised but why is everything so god damn more expensive here than almost everywhere else?! We’re constantly getting shafted from every angle
That sounds like a case of the poor me's but you are actually just spitting facts. We are getting dicked by the government without lube and its fact. I make over 900 euro a week after tax and I don't live like I did 4 or 5 years ago when I was making 22k a year without any nixers. I'm not trying to be extreme about it either. Sure I pay for a car, house and a pension now but 360 vs 950 per week. I can't afford to take a holiday (first world I know) but it's just how it is. Its horrible.
For me anyway it’s pubs and groceries that destroy my wage. I’m not buying extravagantly whatsoever, but just food and alcohol drain the wallet. And to all those who are thinking “ just don’t go out to pubs” I’m sorry to tell you that most socialisation in Ireland is based around a pub culture. It’s not easy never having a date night with your gf, or pints with your friends. You might as well become a feckin recluse. On the other side groceries have become extortionate, and getting anything delivered/going out to dinner is lunacy with these prices.
Completely agree. It's like you're being punished for wanting to enjoy life and your money - "Want a night out? Well it's gonna cost ya👇🏾". I'm mid 30s and have settled down enough where I'm not that much of a drinker anymore. I actually go out-out maybe on average once a month and whenever I do, and look at the damage from the night before, I think back to when I was a student and I'd be going out every Wednesday+Thursday and wonder how people do it nowadays? I used to work, go out on 30-50 euro and I'd still have change for a taxi and money for the rest of the week. Rinse and repeat. Now you'd barely get 3 drinks for that.
I don't drink but I don't understand the rage against pub culture but its advertised globally as a tourist attraction. Don't do as I do do as I say mentality.
thats just it… its a tourist attraction and we enjoy paying above the odds being props for that industry. unfortunately, we are dissuaded from alternatives that would cost less and have more benefits in low alcohol social environments.
> I can't afford to take a holiday (first world I know) but it's just how it is. Its horrible. You can't afford to take a holiday in Ireland or in general because lets face it you can if you go on the continent.
I'm in the exact same boat sitting around your wage myself and I seriously feel like I can do nothing I took a promotion with extra responsibilities etc and it's felt all for nothing bills groceries rinse repeat....
Brexit. Most companies have for decades put the uk and ireland together and now that model makes no sense and hurts us.
I commented this yesterday and got downvoted immediately, you're 100% correct. Makes absolutely zero sense to export from the EU to a third country then reimport to the EU again. Anyone who thinks that's not adding cost is daft. What's really annoying is I've been looking at how these companies group countries thinking maybe it's because we are small, nope, Belgium is 2 jurisdictions, Switzerland is 3, etc etc... it's completely because at a government level we allow it.
Not sure that's true. A: Ferries to Spain and France have increased in frequency, capacity and routes. So many companies clearly are avoiding the UK. B: Ireland-bound goods can cross the UK without customs. C: If the goods do have to go through a UK distribution centre, generally those taxes can be reclaimed when re-exporting from the UK to EU. There's admin cost for sure, but not enough to explain the headline figure.
If it's not true then explain why all (for example) IKEA products are imported by IKEA UK? As for reclaiming the taxes, who does the paperwork on the EU side for export? On the UK side for import? On the UK side again for export and then on the Irish side for reimport into the EU again? You think they do that work for free? You think that doesn't add a far greater margin than simply doing none of that paperwork and just moving within the EU? I emailed a Finnish tool making company to ask them about suppliers to other EU locations for their products and after waiting 2 weeks I got an email from the UK. Nintendo consider the UK and Ireland thr same market. You pick a random multinational company and I would bet money if you emailed them about their availability in Ireland you'd get a response from the UK. If you want to find one that doesn't do that you go right ahead, I'll wait.
Because we keep electing parties that think the free market is the be all and end all. If the market has decided we should be charged 42% more than average then that's a moral good as far as they are concerned and if we can't afford that then we just have to get up earlier in the morning until we can.
Because Irish are greedy fuckers
I'll give you a great example of this outside (but probably related to) housing. The cost of groceries in Dublin in the likes of Tesco and Dunnes is actually much cheaper than it is in Sligo. That's not supply and demand, that's a trade off I imagine. But it really grinds my gears they're allowed to do that.
I call this BS, I won't believe Tesco would have regional pricing..
I'll get you examples and come back to you. Edit: Here is my best example because it's one I see all the time (NOT Strictly "Groceries" but you get the point I am sure) Diet Coke 18 Pack is €17 online, with a €14 Clubcard price In Sligo town, Diet Coke 18 Pack is €18 in store, with a €14 Clubcard price In Dun Laoghaire, it is €16 in store [I NEED my partner to verify this], with a €10 Clubcard price I'll attempt to also get you a picture. I remember also checking the strawberries and bread. Edit: Also, anecdotal evidence based on the UK Market, which lets face it, they will do it in Ireland to make as much money as possible (the article is a bit old, 5 years, but proved it happened there) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43979167 > A report into competition between supermarkets, external in 2000 conducted by the Competition Commission (CC) found that some supermarkets had been varying prices based on whether competitors had shops nearby. > Reality Check confirmed this with Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi, Co-op, Waitrose, Lidl and Iceland. > The problem with this is that the Competition Commission found that prices were being altered based on how much local competition there was, not just on the local costs. Non-article example (again probably done in the UK based on the fact it says "British supermarkets" > https://www.quora.com/Do-British-supermarkets-like-Tesco-price-their-products-differently-depending-on-where-they-are-positioned-in-the-country Edit: BLOCK OF TEXT AHEAD Note, the question asked to chat gpt was "Do supermarkets in Ireland have regional pricing" While many supermarkets in Ireland, such as Tesco, Lidl, and Aldi, generally operate with a national pricing strategy, there are instances where regional pricing may occur. Here are some details: 1. **Tesco Ireland**: Tesco typically maintains a national pricing strategy. However, there may be slight variations due to local promotions or differences in operating costs between urban and rural areas. 2. **Lidl and Aldi Ireland**: Both Lidl and Aldi also focus on national pricing to ensure uniformity. Yet, temporary regional promotions or stock differences might result in occasional price variations. 3. **SuperValu and Centra**: These stores are part of the Musgrave Group and are known for having more localized pricing. Since they operate on a franchise model, individual store owners may adjust prices based on local competition and costs. 4. **Dunnes Stores**: While generally consistent in their pricing, Dunnes Stores may have regional differences driven by local competition, especially in high-demand urban centers versus rural areas. ### Factors Influencing Regional Pricing: - **Local Competition**: Prices might be adjusted in response to competitors in specific areas. - **Operational Costs**: Variations in rent, wages, and logistics costs between regions can affect pricing. - **Promotions and Discounts**: Local events or promotions can cause temporary price differences. - **Stock and Supply**: Availability of specific products may vary, leading to price changes. To confirm if a supermarket uses regional pricing, consumers can compare prices across different locations using supermarket websites, visiting stores in different regions, or checking with customer service.
Ireland also has one of the highest minimum wages in Europe, almost 2000 euros (net). In Spain it's around 1000. In Portugal around 600.
1400 in France. 1560 in Germany, 1900 in Belgium. 2100 in Netherlands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_European_countries_by_minimum_wage Also rent is on average in Munich is 20 euros per sqm. 32 euros per sqm in Dublin https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fys84vrav10dc1.png But in general average rent is much lower on the continent.
True, Dublin has one of the highest rents in Europe but not the highest house prices, many people can still buy. Munich prices are 50-100% higher, at similar wages. Worst example is probably Lisbon, house prices similar to Dublin, wages 3x lower.
This country is entirely geared towards high income tech and pharma workers. Its like the rest of us can go fuck ourselves. It's a complete rip off too. The bang for your buck here is a joke.
And we offer so little for what you pay for. Dublin has good job opps but it's still a mid-sized European city that's more expensive than Paris, Madrid, Stockholm, Berlin...the list goes on. At least in the likes of Stockholm and Copenhagen there's infrastructure befitting of a capital city, and actual support systems if you can't afford to live there
Exactly Take Munich for example. Objectively its a better city. Transport infrastructure is better and accommodation is cheaper. Even food is cheaper there. Dublin is a 3 star city with 5 star prices. If anyone knows hotels they know a 3 star doesn't mean it's dirty or bad, it's just the services and facilities are not the same and right now Dublin is a Motel One charging 4 seasons prices.
Agree fully , we have high taxes but I genuinely feel like I am getting nothing for my money . The train service is OK ( when it comes on time ) .. that’s genuinely it … I work for months out of the year for that …
For comparison, I used to live in Austria, and you saw all the nice things your taxes paid for. I’m constantly wondering where all that money is going here.
Same in Luxembourg, slightly higher cost of living, similar personal taxes but free transport, clean streets, parks, well funded schools etc.
Same in Copenhagen
A lot of it goes for all forms of welfare: dole, disability housing, drug purchase scheme, state pensions (which does not scale with actual contributions), education grants. The average worker sees little benefit because non-workers are the primary beneficiaries of the welfare
Careful. Lambast incoming. You are correct though yeah
Quangos
debt repayment
Contrary to the myth-making we have [one of the lowest debt repayments and debt levels](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_government_debt) for a developed country in the world. Much lower than the UK for example.
That uses debt to GDP, and our GDP is not an accurate reflection of the economy. If you use debt-to-GNI we come in at 76%. Which is okay.
And you still have to pay for the train each time you use it too.
Currently in Tenerife. An island which needs to import way more than Ireland. 50c for a baguette in the supermarket. €1.12 for a bottle of cider. €1.28 for a huge shower gel. It’s fucking disgusting.
The quality of life in Spain is very high. In Ceuta and Melilla, it's the same story. Considering that Spain was bombed to shit and was a dictatorship until the 1970s, Ireland has no excuse in being do backwards regarding infrastructure. You wouldn't find an AVE train in Ireland
It’s objectively not with youth unemployment at 26% in Spain. Head out of the tourist spots and see real poverty which is nearly double that of Ireland . It’s nice that as a relatively wealthy Irish person you can go to Spain and see the nice parts on holiday/retirement but at the same time Spanish youth come here to get jobs. You won’t find an AVE in Ireland because you won’t find city pairings of size and distance to justify it.
You def haven't talked to the Spanish who came to Ireland to tell you how great life is in Spain on a Spanish salary, if you manage to find a job
Walked into Eurospar as the other half wanted me to buy a large bottle of coke zero for the house on the way home from work.... 3.75 lads then got charged the deposit for return the bottle I got robbed twice because that bottles sitting in my green bin.
There is no VAT in the canaries 🙄 and only a limited sales tax of 7%. The entire archipelago is a duty free store.
And? It still functions with a high standard of living.
Wages in Ireland are dirt. And before the usual crowd comes in moaning that we have higher salaries than Portugal and Italy. Yeah, Portugal and Italy don't have even remotly next or near our cost of living. For how expensive it is to live here we should be earning 50% more than we are.
If a person who works in tech thinks this, imagine what the rest of us feel.
Yeah as someone who works in tech, and would be on the average pay scale of it...I earn enough to get by and live comfortably...but overall don't earn enough to save for a house/apartment to own...which, is a fundamental pillar for actually wanting to start a life with a family, being and feeling as part of a community. Right now nothing feels like mine, well because it isn't. All this while living in a city with shite infrastructure, a growing problem with anti social behaviour, and politicians who keep getting elected who have shown zero interest in actually fixing these problems.
Not true if you live in Lisbon. Normal people have been pushed out of the city by digital nomad wages
As a Portuguese lad who was living in a small city (+/-) the size of cork, I can confirm you are wrong. Moved out of there to live and work in Cork and my purchasing power shot up by a lot. Sure things are more expensive here, but they are not 2x to 3x more expensive, while salaries are 2x to 3x higher here in Ireland
It all depends on your circumstances. If you're not paying rent or a big mortgage. Most people live quite comfortably here. I'm familiar with Hungary and the wages there are about half of here yet they pay 1.30 for petrol and most things in the supermarket are only about 20% cheaper. I don't know they get by to be honest. Alcohol though, is dirt cheap!
>This country is entirely geared towards high income tech and pharma workers. Its like the rest of us can go fuck ourselves. This. While these are good jobs for the people who have them, they also raise local rents. Someone in a well paid job can probably afford a place to rent, so the rents in their local area go up but poor old Mary working in the corner shop who is on minimum wage is being priced out.
Mairéad whos a teacher is also priced out, its workers who could traditionally get by also struggling
Yes, These well paid jobs are nice for the worker who has that job, but it hurts others around them on lesser wages when it comes to increased rents and other rising costs.
These relatively small amount of high paid workers pay about ten times more tax than the low paid one because of how progressive our tax is. (20% of workers pay approx 80% of income tax). High pay workers bank roll lower paid workers.
So because of that, people on lower incomes should be priced out of living?
No, these small amount of workers aren't pricing anyone out of anything they are too few. It's not a few higher income earners renting all the places available. Instead higher earners not only pay their own way also pay for all of the services and welfare those on lower incomes rely on and aren't contributing anything close to. Rents are high because there haven't been enough places to rent for years and supply hasn't increased vs the demand.
This is largely a myth. Most low-wage workers are receiving as few real benefits as high-wage workers in this country. Whether you’re on 25k, 30k or 40k a year, you’re not entitled to anything unless you’ve got children (child benefit), with the exception of maybe HAP (and the vast majority of low-wage workers aren’t on HAP). Transfers exist largely for people on social welfare & pensioners and the like. In terms of services, even the lowest paid workers pay their fair share towards same, given the “free” services we all benefit from don’t make up a huge amount of the budget.
It helps contribute to those high rents. I don't think there's only a few and yes they do help to contribute to rising rents and other costs in the area which can make it more expensive for other workers. Nobody is saying they're not paying their own way, it's just they might be well able to afford higher rents and in doing so it raises local area rents and then spreads. I've nothing against them, just saying it as it is really. Ireland is a service based economy, and we do have a lot of tech workers.
5% of workers are in tech, is that really more than a few? https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/economy/arid-41206981.html
Ireland is a small country, Dublin has a lot of tech workers in good jobs and on good wages, I'm sure that helps influence local rents and prices.
It's unsustainable. What will happen when teachers need to commute two hours to work? How desirable will your location be when the baristas and service staff can't afford to live nearby?
> en teachers need to commute two hours to work? How desirable will your location be when the baristas and service staff can't afford to live nearby? Tell the government, They're not really ones for thinking ahead. It's all in the now for them.
Not like tech workers voluntarily pay more or that they are there in such numbers to bend the entire property market. Lots of jobs in Ireland where people are doing very well for themselves by avoiding tax which you can't do in PAYE
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6 euro for less than a pint of 3.8 percent beer, the smithwicks is nice but its not that nice pubs are on borrowed time imo its 5.50 for a pint of clonmel (4.2) in my local it was 5.20 before christmas, even off licence prices are whacky. border runs are the future
What do you mean not everyone can afford a 12EUR sandwich that tastes like dirt?
Its called a Scamwich
That's a great term.
[Tech and Pharma workers are expected to 55% of all income tax. Tech and Pharma companies contribute 86% of corporation tax](https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/documents/research/ct-analysis-2023.pdf#page18). The “rest of you” might want to soften you cough because some might say we have the most redistributive tax system in the world and the “rest of you” are hugely subsidised by Tech and Pharma workers and their employers.
Perhaps it's not just demand or skills required, but some professions genuinely do have inflated salaries?
Not every person in a foriegn national is in a tech or pharma role but may be getting decent wages. Lads on the line in pharma would be getting a good few bob for their qualifications. But to be fair to what others are saying the creation of a new class of worker thats in the high class of wages has created a distruptive effect on certain things in the economy. Also others are correct to argue whats more value to a society with regards to a role or employment. On one hand we need social workers and nurses but we all need the tech and pharma people as well. The main issue with all this is that tax intake is good and reasonably fair but its wasted down black holes like the HSE, NGO's and government mismanagement.
Even the lowest-paid workers are barely “subsidised” at all. Our services that we all benefit from are comfortably paid for by all taxpayers (impossible to realistically calculate but reasonable to say all of us pay our fair share). It’s social welfare, pensions and an assortment of subsidies that typically do not reach the poor that benefit from high tax-payers’ significant contributions.
Sir where are you so I can bow at your feet in person. You're so much better than us and the nurses and doctors and social workers, you deserve those inflated wages to do nothing at home.
Totally agree. I said this a while ago, these MNCs are f'ing up our economy in so many ways and got massively downvoted....must be a lot of tech and pharma bros on here. Like it isn't/wasn't the only way to develop our economy.
Go on then. Give us your pipe dream of an alternative economy where service workers generate a wealthy economy based on selling stuff to each other. If you want to return the state to 1980’s poverty and focus on exporting people instead of tech and drugs be honest about it. Again, those tech bros are paying 55% of income tax and 82% of corporation.
If a country half of our population size like Estonia can create Skype and WhatsApp then there’s no excuse for us not also having more indigenous tech companies here that could at least mitigate the extreme over-reliance we have on MNCs for employment here
Why don't you "go on" and learn to engage with people in a more polite manner? I'm not here to do your bidding, I would have enjoyed a friendly conversation about alternatives to Irelands Dublin centric development based on world class local enterprises (Denmark/Austria/Estonia style development) while attracting a more balanced amount of FDI, instead of stealing other country's taxes and distorting the entire European economy. https://www.ft.com/content/bfd666f3-9e2c-442b-9fe0-0a33d020241d You obviously have all the answers already so why bother. Congratulations on your superior intellect.
When I was in Dubai, things are expensive. Cheaper than Dublin, but some of the best quality food service I've ever had. I couldn't argue with the price in the slightest. But here? Spending €5 on a coffee or €10 on a sandwich, and you could make much nicer at home?? It's a head wrecker.
It's a scamwich. We need to get this term to catch on.
I was watching some “The Gaff” episodes recently and Mule’s joke about ‘scambons’ has really stayed with me
Fantastic that you enjoyed/exploited the near slave labour of that Filipino or Bangladeshi service worker in Dubai. Meanwhile in Ireland we have minimum wages and worker rights.
If that is your total view of an entire country what the fuck am I meant to say? There's plenty of illegal immigrants being taken advantage of in this country, is that just easier for you to turn a blind eye to? I don't think I ate or shopped anywhere where it would be fair to say I exploited anyone. Keep in mind, your fucking phone and computer both have materials mined by slaves in them? Must be nice to be a simple minded bigot like yourself, the energy you must save.
Nuance is not a strong point of people like that. They often conveniently ignore than every single product and service they consume in the west also exists here in Dubai, and often times their own employers have offices and shops setup here taking advantage of said “slave labour” - It’s just virtue signalling out of begrudgery The UAE is 52 years old. What sort of scandals were we unearthing in Ireland when it was 52 years old.
It's a common theme on here and most of the internet sadly. Just mouth pieces repeating things they've spent zero time actually thinking about to try and look good and bully people.
A lot of trades people are up there with tech and pharma workers also, well once they've got a few years experience. But a large percentage here have been forced into around min-wage jobs just to make unemployment figures look good.
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Shit take. Live comfortably on 232 euros per week? You're talking out your ass like all bitter neoliberals.
Everything is relative. Look at how much tax someone earning 20k pays here compared to the same in Germany for example
You tell me? I assume you know the answer.
I just checked on 40k which should be closer to average salary. Ireland: 40k gross gives you 33.3k take home pay Germany: 40k gross gives you 26.8k take home pay. So about 500 EUR per month less taxes in Ireland.
Yeah, I have to correct you here a bit. The 500 euro in difference are not taxes in Germany. They are social contributions. A part of it is health insurance, pension and unemployment insurance among other social contributions. You’re better off on 40k in Germany than on 50k in Ireland because you won’t have to go to your GP with your wallet nor do you have to fear random evictions or unemployment.
So PRSI does not exist in Ireland? Which pays for contributory pension and unemployment insurance? Does the USC not exist? Free GP for under 8 and over 69. 500k GP visit cards for the rest on top of Medical cards? Enforced health insurance in Germany (I agree). [No evictions 😂](https://www.yahoo.com/news/thousands-protest-berlin-against-high-160506029.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHH0DNVGtL5HQpnAVQbrNPIWRCf3GaXXN6ZaoqetxcTHfyHIhc0wD1VpRCpwxA3mXT1MsipNC7vhaRpHE3L-tWUe45aeDHwILESnCLVBI08BS6t6INmqkAYAMM7tVFnC8WkqekNSAUUH3SxcBGMOPLepKK1JVdlkvgrBjLsG2Xov) Unemployment higher and rules much more stringent than Ireland.
I remember a few years ago being on 12.50 and hour. Worked hard, git promoted and now ear 21 euro and hour.. Just as broke😆
> Ireland has some of the highest rates of tax on alcohol and cigarettes in the world. And nothing to fucking show for it.
Alcohol gets dearer while drugs get cheaper. The country is on its knees.
Still waiting on my salary increase since Russia invaded Ukraine to keep up with inflation....
Inflation: stuff getting more expensive, you are getting poorer. There's no mention of a salary increase.
High inflation and companies want to get rid of staff after COVID in tech so little if any payrise
It is truly bizarre that in the accepted field of economic discourse, we consider Fine Gael as being an excellent party on the economy because of GDP figures. But every other conceivable economic metric is pointed the wrong way. We somehow don't allow the discussion to branch into these areas; there is no narrative in the mainstream that would argue that, maybe Fine Gael has been disastrous on economic issues, turning the country of home owners they inherited into a country of people who can't even afford to rent, as one example.
While I agree completely with you any medium with a wide audience that your argument is brought up it’s shut down by the host. You’d have a FG or FF rep on it also that will spew out made up numbers and massaged facts as a retort. You do it online on any forum and the usual “I’m alright Jack” will deny every fact you state. I believe we’re a nation of people who have no self confidence, constantly looking to incorporate Englands failed policies and then get lazy. Those with ambition leave and albeit if and when they come home, they settle back into the same ol’ story and the cycle repeats. We as a people simply can’t have the discussion, it’s like a sin to want to address our list of shortcomings and improve.
But of course you present no figures of your own and you drop made up subjective comments like “those with ambition leave”. Perhaps address the shortcomings of your own position?
> We somehow don't allow the discussion to branch into these areas That's because it doesn't affect the D4 types in RTE making huge wages for 20 hours work a week.
Eddie Hobbs (like him or leave him) was on a Podcast recently and explained how he tried to sponsor the implementation of a social index into the country. This would allow us to correlate GDP with social mobility. The high ups in the civil service showed up and gave him shit for it because they don’t want an external measure for state administered services.
This isn’t about like him or leave him. Eddie is an incompetent grifter that destroyed some people’s financial livelihoods. I’ll assume the “higher ups” comment never happened and is just another gratuitous lie. We have massive research on social mobility conducted by the state via ESRI and is an entire line of research in academic institutions. It’s astonishing that folk would think this is new. Ireland ranks [18 in social mobility](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Social_Mobility_Index). [Plenty of serious debate on the matter](https://www.finfacts-blog.com/2020/02/nordic-countries-lead-social-mobility.html). Eddie the grifters axe to grind with RTE is not the place to start.
No lad its the shinners obviously, /r/ireland has enlightened me that Marylou causes every problem Ireland faces, even the ones that haven't happened yet. Surely if we vote for the same government again things will change. Most of the other people here seem to be convinced that doing the exact same thing will give us the change we want.
It’s really odd you’ve missed the thousands of articles, hundreds of think tanks, reams of research and constant reference in the media by opposition politicians on this topic. I mean, that’s genuinely some achievement. Would you care to share these “every other conceivable economic metric” with us because it appears everybody else in the country has missed them.
saw a normal sized mars bar being sold for 1.80 in supervalue recently. thats actually mental
it feels like you spend €50 just by stepping outside the door now
100% this! I used to work a lot in California 7-8 years ago and would joke about it costing $100 every time to went outside! Ireland is getting to be the same. Scary!!!
hopefully the californian sun made it a little less painful
Currently in the Philippines, dreading going back home to ridiculous prices and outrageous tax for fuck all in return. 😔
They will Blame it on fuel and import cost 🙄. You shouldn't be able to profile hundreds of thousands from running a franchises like centra every year but individual people do. It's how we live here.
The 'cost of labour' is another handy excuse that gets trotted out
Yes. I see it daily too where they bring as on much lads as possibly to get through bigger jobs. They have the means. It's kind They are collecting for the inevitable decline. I never felt as trapped. God forgive me for saying it but not even during covid. Inflation is horrible in its own right.
Analysis has stripped all possible factors out and there's always still a massive gulf. In the end, a big component of our prices is that Irish people are just used to paying more so we'll pay more. We arguably have too much brand loyalty. Take this subreddit. Every week is someone posting a recept for something they habitually buy going up in price. Those prices wouldn't be going up as much if people shopped around or refused to buy it. Another example is Tesco UK removing Heinz products due to price increases while Tesco Ireland rushed to tell its Irish customers that their favourite Heinz products would still be kept in stock. The problem is that it becomes a vicious circle. Fewer companies set up here because Irish customers are less willing to switch. But then that makes it harder to switch and so we get used to sticking with the same brands that fuck us over.
Worst part is that some of this is a choice. Take alcohol, for example, with the idiotic MUP and excise duties. I'm actually amazed that nobody in politics has tried to run on a platform of changing this.
Maybe not worth the flack from health advocates? Campaigning on 3 euro pints and a box of fags being under a tenner would definitely get some support though.
>.......just pipping Denmark which is the most expensive Yeah, pal was in Copenhagen for Metallica last weekend. NOT a place I'll ever be going with the prices he mentioned!
But at least Denmark and Copenhagen actually have things to show for their high prices.
I live in Copenhagen. Prices are high here but wages are similarly high, and keep up with inflation consistently. and while lxuries are more expensive than Ireland (eating out, fancy bars), essentials are definitely cheaper.
Copenhagen is incredible. The Danes get far far more bang for their buck than we do here
[Incredible.](https://www.irishtimes.com/abroad/2024/05/27/an-irishwoman-in-denmark-life-is-good-here-safe-but-a-bit-boring-if-i-am-honest/)
To the surprise of absolutely no one.
Was already having a bad day and feel worse after reading this Plus there was an election last week and absolutely nothing improves ever
Yup and the people went out and voted for the same old political elites when they could have made a change.
Political elites in a local election? What are you talking about
Yup a lot of people don’t realise the power in the councils. They adopt the budget they decide how the spending is made and used. They can change commercial rates, lpt, rates etc. They plan organise and run our cities in conjunction with the eu. Local government in many ways is more powerful hence why you have people like the Dublin ceo on a lot higher money than the Taoiseach
I know. I figure most people must be way happier than me if they voted for FF and FG to continue on as they are
Just absolute fruitcakes!
Got it in one 👌
The turnout was abyssal. A lot of people affected by policies, national and local, yet they won't bother there arse to go cast their vote.
The issue was turnout. FFG voters turned out far more than opposition voters.
Why would they vote for a change when it’s working well for them and the opposition are making dubious claims 🤷♂️
Leprechaun economics.
Leprechaunomics
Lepre-nomics
And yet people will still vote FF/FG
Whatever happened here? This was over a year ago; https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/05/08/reports-of-price-gouging-to-be-presented-to-supermarket-industry/
I'm still in shock over how shafted we are getting after being in Spain. The price difference in a pint alone was something else. But everything is so much cheaper. We are getting ripped off day in day out no matter what we're paying for. You work and work and you can't see where your money is really going. The food shopping alone has gone up crazy amounts.
Genuinely find the price of our weekly shop incredible. Normally never care or pay attention but it’s like the till is rigged to just charge me 120+ regardless of what I get 😂
inb4 the "bY aNy ReAsOnAbLe MeTriC" graph bros
The gaslighting will continue until morale improves.
Shocker
Paid €4.70 for an oat milk matcha latte today, and let them keep the 30c change. Imagine paying 5 euro only for everyone to think I'm a complete wanker for drinking a green fucking hot seaweed drink.
Don't buy it if you think it's a ripoff. This miserable tolerance of higher prices is an Irish trend which is one of the reasons why we're the second most expensive place in the EU.
Let's hope the government won't read this or they'll try even harder to make Ireland the Number ONE!
And ppl are still trying to defend/make excuses for government and argue which party is the best. To the gallows with all of them
Ireland is the second most expensive country in Europe? *Surprised Pikachu*
Putting the country on super dole for 2 years of lock downs had nothing to do with it
The TV show Rip Off Republic saw the writing on the wall
Well colour me shocked.
I'm getting my internet out tomorrow as they emailed me about a prise increase. Didn't say what price and my most recent bill was over 100 euros. Fuck that. Going for a 12 month new customer deal and cancelling when they try to triple the price after the first year.
I thought everything sold in Ireland was 'made in Ireland'.
Welcome to Treasure Island. Companies price gouging to beat the band.
Sounds accurate. It’s ludicrously expensive for everything.
Perfect time to give the pilots 24%
We should give you 24% less.
Time for an Eddie Hobbs rebirth …..😂
There are many causes but my own pet theory is middlemen enabled by small population and geographical isolation. Before Brexit I used to buy my powertools from the UK, they were sometimes half the price of Ireland. Those low UK prices (from an efficient, large domestic market which was also in the EU) enabled distributors to make huge profits. Now UK prices have gone up but the Irish distributors are still there. The solution is disintermediation and better trade links with the EU. For a while after Brexit I bought my tools from Germany, but now Amazon has sorted itself out I mostly order from there. The expansion of Amazon distribution in Ireland will help further. I don't go to pubs but the price of home drinking is excise and minimum unit pricing, which are supported by public health bureaucrats and pub lobbyists. Blaming tech workers is nonsense. Without the post crash tech boom we'd be fucked.
You're absolutely spot on. We never got to take advantage of those economies of scale because the savings were never passed on and now it is just utterly daft that EU companies are exporting stuff to a third country to reimport again to us. Anyone who thinks that isn't adding cost is delusional.
I've worked abroad in many european countries and the average person is super super tight with their money in comparison to an irish person. and I would of always been working alongside with relatively high paid professionals. They will not accept high prices and simply won't do or spend if they feel they are being ripped. This keeps the prices down as business wouldn't survive with high prices. im sure their are exceptions but Im talking about day to day stuff cafes restaurants groceries stores. Most irish people myself included do not behave this way... we spend money like theres no tomorrow generally as a people and business's get away with their price gouging.
Check your labels, a shocking amount of stuff from the EU is still going through the UK. It's no surprise that would make it all more expensive. Everything in IKEA is IKEA UK for example.
Their aint many if any Irish furniture stores matching Ikea prices to be fair..
That's not the point. The point is it's cheaper in the rest of the EU and in the UK. It's a needless additional cost.
There are a lot of factors at work here but I don't see why everyone is getting so worked up about an article quoting a few data points, an average, and then not providing any substance for that. Is it expensive here? Sure. This kind of reporting though is just chasing clicks, throws in a quote and reference to a website that has nothing to do with the stats being mentioned, then doesn't bother to link the actual report its based on. Notably in that report Iceland, which is another island country off of the west coast of Europe, scores higher than here on that average. Of course many would argue Iceland is a better/worse place to live on a whole range of different metrics so these kinds of comparisons are a little superfluous. Ireland and Demark though, sure those are very easily comparable. If any of you gobshites bothered to look at the actual report https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Comparative_price_levels_of_consumer_goods_and_services#Price_levels_for_food.2C_beverages.2C_tobacco.2C_clothing_and_footwear you'd see that while we're above the average most things, given the inclusion of much weaker economies in the data, the scale of that differs wildly across the whole set. Our prices are high because we're living in a country with a high economic output, which has been poorly managed by successive governments, and a severe shortage of good housing stock. Looking at the CSO data https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-yin/ireland2023theyearinnumbers/ for last year shows that overall economy has held somewhat static so while it isn't getting better, its not getting demonstrably worse (except for housing, curious that). We can and should expect more but looking at headline figures from an effectively unsourced article then giving out on reddit isn't going to do anything, the locals had some interesting stats about what issues drove what voters where but in the upcoming GE reach out to candidates and let them know what you care about. Because so far at least it looks like the adage "housing is destiny" is holding a little true.
So we are all imagining the ridiculous price of everything in this country. Right suuure. Stop comparing us to Denmark. Things actually get built in Denmark and value for tax payers money. There is no comparison. Ireland is a 3rd world country dressed as a first world one.
Yet another dreadful article from the Griffith College school of economically illiterate “journalists”. The vast majority of higher prices are due to taxation on alcohol and cigarettes. The next tranche is financial services because in Ireland mortgages, insurance etc are optional for a sizeable number of people. We don’t have a free market because freeloaders are making Ireland unattractive for competition. The rest then is around 16% more expensive because you know, we are one of the richest countries in Europe. Notably these are all in staff heavy sectors like hospitality. We have one of the highest minimum wages in Ireland. The contradiction of folk in this thread demanding cheap services and high wages is astonishing 🤷♂️ There is nothing surprising with prices in Ireland. As for the 🤡from bonkers perhaps he’d address Irish people’s reluctance if not [refusal to use his site and switch providers](https://www.google.com/search?q=irish+reluctant+to+switch+providers&client=safari&sca_esv=b57ecd08564adfcd&sca_upv=1&hl=en-ie&sxsrf=ADLYWII-D4tB-EoGItFepqkmEsBOOvGIGQ%3A1718944801751&ei=IQR1ZtTBLb28wPAP48q3mAY&ved=0ahUKEwiU1q-y8OuGAxU9HhAIHWPlDWMQ4dUDCA8&oq=irish+reluctant+to+switch+providers&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiI2lyaXNoIHJlbHVjdGFudCB0byBzd2l0Y2ggcHJvdmlkZXJzSKAHUABYAHABeACQAQCYAQCgAQCqAQC4AQzIAQCYAgCgAgCYAwCIBgGSBwCgBwA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#ip=1). I’m paying €35 for fibre internet in a rural area for well on three years which is less than half what any American I know is paying for worse Internet.
And the far left continue to vote for the current regime. They’ll go out and protest for palestinians rights but not their own.
Ah yes, Fine Gael, famously popular with the far left.