Reasons for the high standard of living in Ireland

Have you ever measured your level of happiness in the context of living in a particular country? Probably not. But the people of Ireland can have peace of mind about their future.

Irish people are very happy. At least, that’s what the statistics say.

The rate of life satisfaction in the Republic according to OECD data is 7,2 from 10. It’s a very high index, because the average OECD rating is 6,5. Almost everyone who comes to Ireland talks about a stable economy and high standard of living in the country. Foreigners also comment on the high level of safety in the country and the endless friendliness of the locals.

It’s not just the beautiful architecture, breathtaking views and unique climate that make the locals feel harmonious and safe. What is the secret of Ireland?

In the last two decades Ireland has been successfully developing its economy, based on “future technologies”. Ireland has one of the lowest corporate tax rates on business profits in the EU – 12.5%. The country also has a fairly flexible policy for companies that produce high value added products. This stimulates the development of business in the country. By the way, for over 10 years, Ireland has been one of the largest suppliers of software in the world. About 10% of the country’s export earnings come from this industry.

According to “Doing Business” in 2021 Ireland was the fourth easiest place in the world to pay taxes. It’s the flexibility of the tax system that draws businessmen to the Emerald Isle. This in combination with a favourable business environment has attracted some real world giants to Ireland: Facebook, Apple, Pfizer, eBay, Intel, Johnson&Johnson, Microsoft, PayPal and more.

The development of the activities of such companies in the territory of the Republic generates an inflow of labour resources. The branches of large corporations employ promising professionals from all over the world.

Stable Irish economy

The main service industries in Ireland are chemicals, software, computer hardware, pharmaceuticals, food, beverages and brewing, computers and medical equipment. These industries account for 29% of GDP.

The average salary in Ireland in 2022 is €3,683 per month or €44,202 per year. This index is one of the highest among EU countries.

Natural resources

Ireland is also rich in a variety of natural resources: barite, natural gas, silver, gypsum, dolomite, petroleum, copper, peat, limestone, lead and zinc. The main industries in Ireland are based on these natural resources.

Agriculture, fisheries and mining play a major role in the Irish economy.

Social welfare

Incidentally, the native Irish are very passionate about their culture, honouring it and popularizing it. The Irish are very active in political and civic life, which also has a positive effect on the development of the country as a whole.

The natives are fairly law-abiding and pay their taxes diligently. The state reciprocates and provides them with good social protection. When Irish people lose their jobs, they receive regular welfare payments, enough to cover living expenses. The country has an excellent social security system, so they are protected by many types of benefits and assistance.

Special mention should be made of the child protection system. If children are left without parental care, they are literally put up for adoption straight away. Social services take great care to ensure that all children are safe and that their basic needs are met.

This kind of state care for younger and older people demonstrates the high level of engagement between Irish citizens and government.

Safety and crime rate

The Emerald Isle is a pretty safe place. The crime rate here in 2019 was 0.7 per 100,000 population. This is due to the fact that people, for the most part, are perfectly content with their lives. A fairly high average wage (even though rents are high) makes locals feel comfortable and safe. Most Irish people believe that the Emerald Isle is the perfect place to have a family.

Irish generosity

Despite the Republic’s long-standing housing crisis, Ireland has welcomed more than 50,000 Ukrainian refugees this year. The Irish government provides every Ukrainian with housing and a wide range of social and health services.

This just goes to show that the Irish community is not only capable of providing for its residents, but also of supporting those in trouble.

Ireland’s only problem is the issue of accommodation. But even this complexity does not stop the influx of migrants to the Emerald Isle.

Low unemployment, high average wages, low crime rates and excellent social protection all attract immigrants to Ireland. Despite the rather high cost of living here, people continue to come to the Island every year and with a strong desire to stay permanently.

Ireland welcomes open-minded, sincere and hard-working people from all over the world. And if you wondered why people in this country care about such global issues as global warming, pollution and melting glaciers, you now know that Ireland has reached a level where people often care more about the problems of others than their own.

More information on visas, stamps and other documentary matters in Ireland can be found here.