Ireland Travel Guide

Country Facts

Location

Europe, off the west coast of Great Britain.

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.

Area

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

Time Zone

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

Electricity

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

Population

4.5 million (2009).

Population Density

64 per sq km.

Capital City

Dublin. Population: 1.2 million (2006).

Government

Republic.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Brian Cowen, since 2008.

Head of State

President Mary McAleese, since 1997.

Religion

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

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.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +353.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with a broad range of international mobile phone carriers, and coverage is good.

Internet

Internet is readily available, and internet cafés 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.

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

Post

The General Post Office is in O'Connell Street, Dublin.Mon-Fri 0900-1730/1800; Sat 0900-1300. Sub-post offices close at 1300 one day a week.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
25 Dec Christmas Day

2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
17 Mar St Patrick’s Day
25 Apr Easter Monday
2 May Bank Holiday
6 Jun Bank Holiday
30 Oct Bank Holiday
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec St Stephen’s Day

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
17 Mar St Patrick’s Day
9 Apr Easter Monday
7 May Bank Holiday
7 May Bank Holiday
4 Jun Bank Holiday
6 Aug Bank Holiday
29 Oct Bank Holiday
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec St Stephen’s Day

Contact Information

British Embassy in Ireland

29 Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin
Tel: (1) 205 3700
Website: www.britishembassyinireland.fco.gov.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 0900-1245, 1400-1715; Fri: 0900-1245, 1400-1700.

Embassy of the Republic of Ireland in the UK

17 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7HR, UK
Tel: (020) 7235 2171.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1730.
Passport and visa office: Montpelier House, 106 Brompton Road, London SW3 1JJ, UK
Tel: (020) 7225 7700.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1200 (visa section); 0930-1630 (passport section).
Website: www.embassyofireland.co.uk

Tourism Ireland in the UK

Nations House, 103 Wigmore Street, London W1U 1QS, UK
Tel: (020) 7518 0800.
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