Ireland Country & Tourist Information

Location
Europe, off the west coast of Great Britain.

Area
70,182 sq km (27,097 sq miles).

Population
4.1 million (UN estimate 2007).

Population Density
59 per sq km.

Capital
Dublin.
Population: 1.2 million (census 2006).

Government
Republic.

Language
Although Irish (Gaelic) is the official language, spoken as a first language by about 55,000 people (mostly in the west), English is the language of the overwhelming majority of the population. Official documents are printed in both languages.

Religion
Roman Catholic 92%, the remainder being Protestant, with Jewish and Islamic minorities.

Time
GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Three-pin plugs are in use.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Bertie Ahern since 1997 (outgoing).

Head of State
President Mary McAleese since 1997.

Recent History
Prime Minister Bertie Ahern announced his resignation in April 2008, a day after he began a court challenge to limit the work of a public inquiry probing planning corruption in the 1990s.

The general election of May 2007 saw the re-election of Bertie Ahern’s Fianna Fail party for a record third time, although they didn’t manage to win an overall majority. Their partners in government are the right-of-center Progressive Democrats, who lost two-thirds of their seats in the Dail but still managed to hold onto the ministerial portfolio in Health; and, for the first time ever, the Green Party, a sure sign that environmental concerns are becoming more important in the minds of the electorate - even if the Greens had to sacrifice a number of important policy positions when negotiating with Fianna Fail. The economy remains buoyant, despite growing interest rates and a slow-down in the construction market, which may result in a fall in house prices and the dreaded threat of negative equity for home-owners already stretched to the limit of their mortgage repayments.

Telephone
Country code: 353 followed by the area code, omitting the initial zero.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with a wide range of international mobile phone carriers. Coverage is good.

Internet
Internet is readily available; Internet cafes exist in nearly every town.

Media
The national public broadcaster Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE) dominates the radio and TV sector. It provides a comprehensive service in both English and Irish. The Irish print and broadcast media operate freely within the confines of the law. Broadcasting is regulated by a commission appointed by the Department of Communications. The Competition Authority safeguards against unfair competition in the press sector. Cross-media ownership is permitted within certain limits - press groups may own up to 25% of local radio and TV stations.


Post
The General Post Office is in O’Connell Street, Dublin.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1730/1800; Sat 0900-1300. Sub-post offices close at 1300 one day a week.

Press
• There are several daily newspapers published in Dublin including Evening Herald, the Irish Independent and The Irish Times.
• Two in Cork: Evening Echo and Irish Examiner.
• British dailies and Sunday papers are available.

Radio
• Radio RTE is a public broadcaster and operates four networks, including the flagship station Radio 1, a pop music station.
• Raidio na Gaeltachta operates an Irish-language station.
• Lyric FM is a classical and cultural station.
• Newstalk 106-108 is a national talk radio station.
• Today FM is the national commercial network.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
17 Mar St Patrick's Day. 
13 Apr Easter Monday. 
4 May Bank Holiday. 
1 Jun Bank Holiday. 
3 Aug Bank Holiday.
26 Oct Bank Holiday.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec St Stephen's Day.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
17 Mar St Patrick's Day.
5 Apr Easter Monday.
3 May Bank Holiday.
7 Jun Bank Holiday.
2 Aug Bank Holiday.
25 Oct Bank Holiday.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec St Stephen's Day.

Contact Information:

Embassy of the Republic of Ireland in the UK
17 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7HR, UK
Tel: (020) 7235 2171.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1300, 1415-1700.
Passport and visa office: Montpelier House, 106 Brompton Road, London SW3 1JJ, UK
Tel: 0906 661 0197. 
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1200 (visa section); 0930-1630 (passport section).

Tourism Ireland in the UK
Nations House, 103 Wigmore Street, London W1U 1QS, UK
Tel: 0800 039 7000.
Website: www.tourismireland.com

Embassy of Ireland in the USA
2234 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 462 3939.
Website: www.irelandemb.org

Tourism Ireland in the USA
345 Park Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10154, USA
Tel: (212) 418 0800 (general enquiries) or 1 800 223 6470 (brochure request line).
Website: www.tourismireland.com


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