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A boy holds his crucifix before receiving first communion. Karel Navarro/AP/Press Association Images

Irish children receive more money for holy communion: Survey

Despite the country’s economic problems, the cost of a child’s first holy communion is rising – as is the amount of money children receive as gifts – according to a new study.

THE AMOUNT OF money which parents spend on their child’s first holy communion has increased, according to a new survey.

Despite dwindling pay-packets, the average parent will now splash out €600 on the day – a €70 rise on last year – according to the study by the EBS.

The survey found that 90 per cent of adults believed that giving a child €50 or less was appropriate, with the average sum per person being €37. While 70 per cent of those surveyed believed that giving children money was appropriate, 62 per cent insisted that this should be done within reason.

Children will now come away from the day with an average of €416 in gifts, in contrast to €398 last year.

The results show that most children (67 per cent) will save the majority of the money they receive, however this is slightly down from last year when 70 per cent of children planned to save most of their gifts. Some 71 per cent of parents said they encouraged their children to save more so that they will be better prepared for the future – two per cent up from 201o – according to the study.

The survey also explored how parents felt the economic downturn would effect children’s attitudes to money: while 79 per cent felt that the recession would negatively impact children, 69 per cent thought that it would encourage them to be more careful with their finances.

The EBS questioned 1,000 Irish consumers online between 14 and 19 April.

Poll: How much is appropriate to give a child on their First Communion? >

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3 Comments
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    Mute K H
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    Sep 18th 2023, 1:51 PM

    In one word…. madness

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    Mute Paul Cunningham
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:14 PM

    @K H: Did I ever tell you the definition…of insanty?

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    Mute another one? what's going on is the semi state sec
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:39 PM

    @K H: Fanfare from govt for 30k completions this year is madness. 30k per year was needed in 2011 until 2026….. we’re now 250,000 homes behind. And that gap isn’t closing with just 30k completions….. madness!

    157
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    Mute Tommy Haze
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    Sep 18th 2023, 1:57 PM

    It’s becoming more apparent day by day we’re in an ever expanding economic bubble.
    You won’t hear about in in Dail Eieeann though.
    Too many vested interests at play.

    250
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    Mute The Big Baba
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:04 PM

    @Tommy Haze: It’s not really a bubble. It’s a supply-demand problem. Right now, the demand is much higher than the supply. People want homes, but there aren’t enough homes to go around. There doesn’t seem to be any speculation like we saw in the lead-up to 2008.

    100
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    Mute Anon
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:21 PM

    @Tommy Haze: what happens to bubbles… they burst.

    51
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    Mute Temp Stuff
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    Sep 18th 2023, 6:04 PM

    @Anon: not a bubble. People are making payments on their mortgages. Anyone taking a loan now, the banks have very strict criteria. Only way property prices will drop (and it won’t be a large drop) is for economy to go into a deep recession. Given Eire’s small size and global workforce expertise these days, there’ll be no Pop! Anytime soon

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    Mute Éanna o Sca
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:21 PM

    Only pushing our best talent out of this once great country. This country is a shambles. The hard worker, the educated are been driven to depression whilst all the wasters are been given hand outs. I’m done with this Kip

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    Mute Jason Ferriter
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    Sep 18th 2023, 5:28 PM

    @Éanna o Sca: are you going to leave then?

    13
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Sep 18th 2023, 5:38 PM

    @Éanna o Sca: Its heartbreaking

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    Mute Temp Stuff
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    Sep 18th 2023, 6:05 PM

    @Éanna o Sca: slán

    4
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    Mute Éanna o Sca
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    Sep 18th 2023, 7:19 PM

    @Jason Ferriter:

    I came home from Oz just prior to the pandemic after 11 years as my folks are getting older and been frank, I wanted to come home. Going back on the 1st December

    48
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    Mute another one? what's going on is the semi state sec
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    Sep 18th 2023, 8:44 PM

    @Éanna o Sca: Taxed to the hilt for poor services as a result of bad management too. Govt taking in its biggest PAYE and VAt take ever but giving little back….. not to mention the massive corporate tax take too…… they are the biggest criminals going.

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    Mute Éanna o Sca
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    Sep 18th 2023, 9:23 PM

    @Temp Stuff: obv one of those useless wasters getting a free gaff

    16
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    Mute Donald Hegarty
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:20 PM

    This is nothing new, I’m a retired Bricklayer back in the late 70’s early 80’s we couldn’t build semi detached homes quick enough & it still wasn’t enough. The government don’t care cause they know the young will leave just as I & many like me had to. It’s been like that for 50/60 years..

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:28 PM

    @Donald Hegarty: It’s become the Irish way really.

    51
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    Mute Chris O'Brien
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    Sep 18th 2023, 1:54 PM

    No one could be surprised. FFFG are the worst mixture of incompetent and corrupt.

    Look around you: if you think things are working and managed competently, for the benefit of the majority, vote FFFG.

    If you think spending more than most countries on healthcare and ending up with the 80th worst healthcare on the planet is a poor result, shop around.

    Etc.

    270
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    Mute The Big Baba
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:01 PM

    @Chris O’Brien: FFFG aren’t half as bad as they’re made out to be. Although the commentators here like to paint Ireland as some kind of dystopian hellhole, the fact is that this country is one of the best in the world. If enough houses get built over the next couple of years, the housing crisis will subside. Things like rising prices, rents, etc. are issues that are impacting most countries across the western world. People are going to be very disappointed when Sinn Fein gets into government and is unable to fix most of these issues either.

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    Mute damien leen
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:07 PM

    @The Big Baba: Jesus wept…there’s always one government cheer leader around isn’t there. Yea mate, things are peachy in this country at the moment, thanks for commenting!

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    Mute The Big Baba
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:34 PM

    @damien leen: Sorry, I forgot that people on here are a bit simple and like to view the world in black and white. Any nuance whatsoever will see you labeled as a government cheerleader. If you want to continue believing that Ireland is a terrible country, then so be it. That’s your prerogative. Just don’t act surprised when voters express a slightly more balanced view on the subject.

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    Mute Colm Coughlan
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:43 PM

    @The Big Baba: But people want houses now,not in the next couple of years.

    106
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    Mute The Big Baba
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:46 PM

    @Colm Coughlan: No political party can achieve that. We just don’t have enough construction workers, and our planning system (which is mostly independent of the government for good reasons) is slow-moving and bureaucratic.

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    Mute Nigel Hayden
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:47 PM

    @The Big Baba: not half as great as they make themselves out to be either

    39
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    Mute Peter Barnwallace
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:19 PM

    @Chris O’Brien: how much do you get paid to keep sending Provo propaganda?

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Sep 18th 2023, 6:00 PM

    @Peter Barnwallace: You are great propaganda for SF

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    Mute Andrew Giles
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    Sep 18th 2023, 8:28 PM

    @The Big Baba: so in other words, I’m alright Jack under the current Government, the rest of you can eat cake.

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    Mute Tríona Commode
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:33 PM

    Not only are they absurdly overpriced, the houses that are being thrown up at the moment must be the ugliest the country has ever seen. Small, flimsy, slap-dash, ugly, cheap-looking and impossibly expensive. Someone’s having a laugh.

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    Mute Monty Carlow
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:13 PM

    Actual worth is one third of that….what an absolute riiiip, and it has been engineered as such.

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    Mute Tríona Commode
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:38 PM

    @Monty Carlow: One third the price would still be a rip-off. Have you seen the state of these Wendy Houses? A discount dog kennel would be more reliable.

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    Mute uUleRhCu
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:12 PM

    @Tríona Commode: Build one yourself and see how much it costs you.

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    Mute Tríona Commode
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:26 PM

    @uUleRhCu: I’d have to gather the funds to bribe An Bord Pleanála first.

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    Mute uUleRhCu
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    Sep 18th 2023, 5:57 PM

    @Tríona Commode: yawn.

    4
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    Mute Ollie McGlinchey
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:00 PM

    Next to nothing about the terrorist attack at the airport.

    127
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    Mute Peter Barnwallace
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:20 PM

    @Ollie McGlinchey: perhaps because it had nothing to do with terrorists?

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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Sep 18th 2023, 5:40 PM

    @Ollie McGlinchey:

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    Mute Michael Mc Gee
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:14 PM

    The article is a Horror story for 1000s of hard working people that are unable to afford these astronomical prices! Fffg, what they are doing is criminal IMO.

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    Mute K H
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    Sep 18th 2023, 1:52 PM

    Quite simply , madness

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    Mute Tom Newell
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:40 PM

    The bubble is gonna burst soon…..

    81
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    Mute Davy
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:31 PM

    FFG to do it all over again. Short gain for long pain
    Only these trough piglets won’t suffer like you and I. Remove these lifelong troughers …

    103
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    Mute Gregory Daniel
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    Sep 18th 2023, 4:29 PM

    €320K average house price – deposit of €32K and loan of €290K – need a single or combined salary of €73K for average house. Average salary in Ireland is €45K

    Is this really considered outrageous?

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    Mute B Journalist
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    Sep 18th 2023, 4:49 PM

    @Gregory Daniel: find me a house in Dublin for 320k so I can place my family in the standard that one of richest country in Europe should have. Most of these houses are not even close to quality of Soviet Union. Seems like in Ireland Dacia is sold for the price of BMW and we should be happy

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Sep 18th 2023, 5:36 PM

    @Gregory Daniel: Value of worth, are they ‘worth’ that? Mostly not. Also this place is the epicentre of idle outrage.

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    Mute Gregory Daniel
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    Sep 18th 2023, 7:51 PM

    @B Journalist: I know facts dont help, however Ireland is not too bad in the big scheme of things.

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    Mute Andrew Giles
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    Sep 18th 2023, 8:40 PM

    @Gregory Daniel: average salary of €45k, not in the retail, hospitality, general operative manufacturing and many other sectors it isn’t, and I’m sure these areas are bumped up a bit too get this Median figure of €45k, and even at that, worth the cost of living, rents and mortgages etc, even €45k each in a 2 income household would be a struggle, especially for those renting, that’s where there’s a massive overpriced market.

    12
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    Mute Gregory Daniel
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    Sep 18th 2023, 9:10 PM

    @Andrew Giles: yes, however for a country with 5 million we do ok. If you reflect for a moment on 60% or more of the worlds population, things are not too bad here in Ireland. We love a good auld whinge here, many other in the world would give anything to have the complaints it seems a growing part of our population has.

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    Mute Hector turtlehead
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    Sep 18th 2023, 4:29 PM

    New house prices seem to be a lot more than 2nd hand homes. Half a million in places like Navan. What the!

    50
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    Mute Niall English
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:28 PM

    nice to see the government supports propping up the prices. some of the prices being demanded for some houses are absurd. the quality of some of them are dire. people really need their head examined if they are handing over what is being asked for some parties. but i guess theres an element of FOMO in play.

    47
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    Mute M R
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    Sep 18th 2023, 6:23 PM

    @Niall English: maybe it’s FOBH (fear of being homeless)

    49
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    Mute Mark Gannon
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    Sep 18th 2023, 1:59 PM

    Statistics prove that Statistics prove nothing!

    24
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    Mute KTH
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:20 PM

    @Mark Gannon: 24.3% of statistics are made up!

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    Mute
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    Sep 18th 2023, 2:01 PM

    I am the best here.

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    Mute Peter Barnwallace
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:21 PM

    The Shinners want to remove every support that helps ordinary working people buy their own home, utterly shameful.

    27
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    Mute Niall English
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:29 PM

    @Peter Barnwallace: would make economic sense. remove the supports and you should see a relatively corresponding corrections in prices.

    34
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Sep 18th 2023, 5:48 PM

    @Peter Barnwallace: Thats right Stephen blame the opposition for our pathetic FFG government s

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    Mute Martin Mongan
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    Sep 18th 2023, 9:00 PM

    @Frank Cauldhame: I was wondering how long it would take him to make a new page hahaha if he just stopped with the SF ranting for two minutes he might not give himself away

    4
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    Mute Gavin Kelly
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    Sep 18th 2023, 3:40 PM

    Cheap houses in Tallaght and Clondalkin

    19
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    Mute Ali123
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    Sep 18th 2023, 4:03 PM

    @Gavin Kelly: just went on daft. Plenty of lovely homes less than 300k. You’ve everything on your doorstep there too.

    19
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    Mute Martin Mongan
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    Sep 18th 2023, 4:07 PM

    @Ali123: in what universe is 300k cheap?

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    Mute Ali123
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    Sep 19th 2023, 1:43 PM

    @Martin Mongan: it’s a house, a home, it’s where your going to live for your life, raise your kids and work hard to pay off. Of course 300k is a fortune to most people but it’s what you work for cause it’s a number1 priority.

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    Mute Joseph Loftus
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    Sep 19th 2023, 7:22 AM

    Crash is coming… houses/land are way over value in Ireland compare to the other richer countries in Europe…

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    Mute Martin Ryan
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    Sep 23rd 2023, 7:43 AM

    German property price’s are down 12,%
    Ireland is a Ponzi scheme
    Caused by the central bank lending
    Easing ( government backed) to cover the demise of high tech manufacturing
    Decline ( look at the figures)
    It’s like early 2000 recession
    Throw in 120k of refugees ( actual figure is probably higher )
    Choas
    You voted for it so what do you expect
    God save Ireland from the Irish my late granny used to say .
    She was a wise Mayo woman

    1
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