Bringing a car into Ireland

If you bring a car or any vehicle into Ireland from another country - abroad, you must show proof of ownership of the vehicle. You will need the vehicle registration document or evidence of car insurance. You must also have a Certificate of Permanent Export (or a vehicle registration document as we mention above).

You must register your car and pay Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) by the end of the next working day following its arrival into Ireland. You must bring it to a Revenue Vehicle Registration Office (VRO) not later than the next working day following its arrival in Ireland - . You pay the VRT charged after your vehicle has been inspected at the VRO.

Once the vehicle has been registered by the Revenue Commissioners and the VRT paid, you (or your motor dealer) will receive:

• A receipt for the VRT paid showing the registration number assigned to your car
• A Form RF 100 for use when you are applying for motor tax

You must display the registration number within 3 days. Failure to display the new registration number is an offence and you can be fined You can obtain vehicle registration plates from any motor dealer. .

VAT

If you are importing a new car from another EU country you have to pay VAT (Value Added Tax), usually when registering the car. A new car means a car that has been in service for 6 months or less, or has been driven for 6,000 kilometres or less. The VAT is payable even where you have paid VAT in the other country.

Work Permit Restrictions in Ireland June 2009

A number of changes to the qualifying conditions for work permits for new entrants to Ireland come into effect from 1 June 2009:

• More job categories will be ineligible for new work permits (work riders, domestic workers and HGV drivers now ineligible)
• No new permits will be issued for low-paid jobs, that is, jobs paying less than €30,000 per year
• The labour market needs test will be strengthened by doubling the time a job vacancy has to be advertised with EURES/FAS to 8 weeks, and extending the time for the national press advertisement to six days
• Higher fees will be charged on renewal of work permits, and renewals will require a labour market needs test
• Spouses and dependants of future principal work permit holders will have to apply for permits in their own right subject to the standard eligibility criteria and fees for work permits

In addition, a number of occupations are being removed with immediate effect from the Green Card eligible list where the salary payable for the job is in the range €30,000-€59,999 per annum. These jobs are :

Healthcare: Registered midwives; physiotherapists; psychologists; social workers; medical physicists; and speech and language therapists.

Financial Services: Economists; statisticians; underwriters; claims assessors and analysts; securities specialists; fund and investment management specialists; common law jurisdiction lawyers; investment fund professionals; fund accountants; fund valuations professionals; fund administrators; custody specialists; transfer agents; and hedge fund specialists.

Industry/Services: Marketing Managers.

NCT Penalty Points Panic in Ireland

THE SURPRISE introduction of new penalty point offences in Ireland for motorists has thrown the National Car Test (NCT) system into chaos.

Hundreds of worried motorists attempted to contact the NCT centre in Tallaght yesterday after Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey announced over the weekend that failing to keep your NCT up to date would incur penalty points from next month. It was already a fineable offence nefore now - so why the panic. In the UK they have a database that tells them all the cars without an MOT cert - it is all computerised. Here in Ireland we rely on a random spot check to spot all these dangerous cars on the road. Are the Guards blind or lazy? I see lots of cars each week with one headlight or one brake light. Why are they not stopped?

More than 835,000 cars were tested for roadworthiness in 43 NCT test centres across the country last year.Just over half (52pc) passed the National Car Test (NCT) on the first attempt. The pass rate has remained around the 50pc mark since 2004.

Another 385,000 had to repeat the test, with a repeat pass rate of 91pc. Failures can be appealed.

Cars four years or older are subject to the test, which was introduced in 2000. Cars must pass every two years after the initial test. Vintage cars over 30 years and cars based on the islands are exempt.

While most motorists are informed when their test is due, it is up to the owner of the vehicle to ensure that their car has a valid NCT. Drivers without an NCT certificate face a €1,500 fine, but, until now, have not incurred penalty points.

Spanish company Applus+ will take over testing from next January after winning a 10-year contract from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) earlier this year. The test fee of €50 and retest fee of €28 will stay the same until at least 2011.

A review of the NCT is also being carried out by the RSA, which could see customised cars with blacked-out windows and loud exhausts automatically failing the test.

On The One Road

Chris and Kelly have a great blog with loads of pictures. They moved to Ireland and look like they are enjoying living here.
See On The Road

Moving from Australia to Ireland

Another blogger - Trish - who is planning to move to Ireland with her husband PJ in 2009.
Read all abou it here http://lightsweetcrude.typepad.com/light_sweet_crude/
Best of Luck you two ----

Making the Move to Ireland

http://us2ireland.wordpress.com/ is a blog which I hope is updated. The blogger is moving to Ireland today (well getting a flight from Chicago) . They have no plans. no job, nowhere to live - it could make interesting reading if they can manage to keep us updated on progress.
Good Luck whoever you are!

Yank in Dublin

Another blog from someone who has moved to Ireland (maybe temporarily) This Yank in Dublin is studying for a Masters and writes about some of her experiences in Ireland

In the Land of Sunshine

Another blog from someone who has moved to Ireland. A 30 year old lady originally from rural Ohio in the US. She also lived in Sweden and is half Greek ! Now she is living in Kilkenny in Ireland . Read about her experiences on Land of Sunshine

Moving to Belfast

Whitney tells us about her move to Belfast on Glimpses of Grace - another blog we found from someone who has moved to Ireland. . Some nice pictures

A Norwegian Student in Ireland

A student in Dublin who moved here from Norway this year.
The world as I see it might be a useful blog for any other people thinking of moving to Dublin to study.

Yoga and bad Coffee in Ireland

Our search for bloggers who have moved to Ireland continues - we found Jenna (Not Lana) - who likes yoga and good coffee - which is hard to get in Ireland. Her Bubblin in Dublin blog is a good read. Another American living in Ireland.

American Buddhist in Ireland

Another great blog we have discovered from "Gerald Ford" - who happens to be a Buddhist amd moved to Ireland recently. Some great posts about Buddhism and life in Ireland .

http://level8.wordpress.com/

Moving from Sweden to Ireland

Another blogger writing about their experiences on Moving to Ireland. This Journalism student has some interesting things to say about Irish life and living in Ireland. We will call back to see how they get on

"In Ireland families are big. You have many children and people gather around each other on many occasions. You keep quiet about the things you do not like because you respect that you are family. It is the same way in Iran. Families are big, in fact it is known that what would constitute a family is having a minimum of two children in Iran. You gather around each other and socialise with food, laughter, dancing and singing - the same way as in Ireland. The bands of family are very important and valued to a high standard. You respect your elders and their visdom."
Short Digital Pictures

Korean Living in Dublin

This blog from Yjellie has some thoughts and experiences on her move to Ireland.

All good so far - we hope she keeps on posting about her new life in Ireland.

IT Finance and Health Workers wanted

In Ireland there is a substantial skills shortage in a number of sectors despite the economic downturn according to Ernst & Young. Recent figures from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment indicate that despite this shortage the number of employment permits issued for the first eight months of 2008 is less than 50% of the number issued in 2007. Nearly 100 employers attended an Ernst & Young briefing today where experts advised the audience on a number of issues which are affecting Irish Employment including employment permits and the visitor visa process.

According to Ernst & Young while there is a significant number of employment permits issued in Ireland each year there is a substantial skills shortage in a number of sectors. Areas such as information technology, financial services and in particular healthcare are still finding it very difficult to secure appropriate staff. There is an incredible demand for high quality staff in these sectors and Ireland / the EU are unable to satisfy this demand at the moment.