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WELCOME TO HOW I Spend My Money, a series on The Journal that looks at how people in Ireland really handle their finances.
We’re asking readers to keep a record of how much they earn, what they save if anything, and what they’re spending their money on over the course of one week.
Are you a spender, a saver or a splurger? We’re looking for readers who will keep a money diary for a week. If you’re interested send a mail to money@thejournal.ie. We would love to hear from you.
Each money diary is submitted by readers just like you. When reading and commenting, bear in mind that their situation will not be relatable for everyone, it is simply an account of a week in their shoes, so let’s be kind.
Last time around, we heard from a 29-year-old quality control analyst on €54K living in Dublin. This week, an insurance consultant on €35K living in Munster.
I am a 27-year-old insurance consultant living in Munster. I live about a 15-minute drive from my work office, so I drive to and from work Monday to Friday. We were home-based for most of the year, some are still at home but I am one of the minorities that struggled working from home and for my own mental health, jumped at the opportunity to get back into the office. For some, working from home was great. For others like myself, it did not suit my personality and the confinement to my house, in the middle of a house purchase and move was just stress I did not need or like.
After a couple of years of hard saving, my partner and I decided around October last year that the time was right for us to start looking to buy. We found our dream home in March of this year, went sale agreed in April, and after a long and exhausting few months (anyone who has bought a property in Covid times will know our struggles) we got our keys and moved into our forever home in August.
I would have always been an OK saver, but nothing heavy until I got my first “adult” job after college. Since my partner and I have lived together we have used a joint account for all household related expenses. In doing this, it keeps everything fair and equal and the money we have left in our own accounts is ours to do what we wish with, guilt free. We share all household bills, but individually both still have our own independent savings account. From my weekly paycheck every Friday, €170 goes into my own savings account, €150 goes into the joint account and €50.00 goes into my EBS savings account. I could cancel my EBS account and just add all my savings to the one account, but that EBS account was opened way back when as a home for the millions I got for my communion, so for nostalgia reasons, I cannot let it go!
Naturally, both my own and the joint account took a huge hit following the purchase of our home. A bitter pill to swallow, watching the money you have saved for years literally go in the space of one transaction but I think like everyone who has bought, we were happy in the decision to buy and not have to drown under crippling rents anymore. Our mortgage works out at around €880 a month, so once a month I transfer €440 into the joint account and from there the mortgage gets paid from direct debit.
Occupation: Insurance consultant
Age: 27
Location: Munster
Salary: €35,899
Monthly pay (net): €2,406.93
Transport: Approx. €120 diesel
Mortgage: €440
Joint savings: €600
Personal savings: €680
Household bills: Approx. €50
Phone bill: €20
Health insurance: €96.80 (€24.20 via weekly salary deduction)
Groceries: Paid via our joint account
Subscriptions: €13.99 Spotify Premium Duo, €30.00 (€15.00 each) to two local animal shelters.
7.30 am: My partner has a training course up the country, so I took advantage of this and went back to my parents’ house Sunday night. Waking up in my old bed in my old bedroom for work this morning was a small bit disorienting. Being at my parent’s house makes me closer to work so took my time getting ready. I normally do the food shop for the week on a Sunday evening, but because I have come to my parents, that job has been pushed down to later in the week.
8.45 am: I arrive at work, turn my PC on and go to the canteen to make myself a coffee.
11.00 am: Usual time for me to eat my breakfast, generally not an early morning eater. I have a porridge pot that you just add water to on my desk from last week, so I have that and continue with clearing emails from the weekend.
12.00 pm: I have to sit in on a few interviews. Preparation for these roles has been ongoing for weeks and lining up possible candidates has taken time, so I am looking forward to getting the ball rolling on this.
1.00 pm: Lunch time here in the office and as I have no food shop done, I nip to Tesco and pick up a six pack of water, a banana, a yogurt, and some rice cakes. (€5.35)
1.45 pm: For Christmas every year, I volunteer to make a care pack for a local nursing home resident so they have something to open on Christmas Day. I head to Penneys for a nosey to see if there is anything I can pick up. This year I have gotten a male resident, so I pick up a packet of socks with the days of the week on each one for €7.00. It’s normally the letter people include in the care pack that the residents enjoy the most, but I still like to pick up a few small bits.
2.00 pm: Lunch ends, so I head back to work.
3.00 pm: With some staff still at home, I schedule a Zoom with my team to check in on them and air out any issues dragging from last week or potential issues for this week.
5.00 pm: Works finished for the day. Pre-Covid, I was a terror for lingering on in the evenings until maybe 7pm catching overtime and clocking more hours, but since the house purchase and Covid, I’ve re-aligned my work-to-life balance and now try my best to clock off at 5 and pick up where I left off in the morning (granted it’s nothing important).
5.35 pm: Partner’s course will continue until tomorrow, so I take this as another green light to retreat home to my parents’ house again. My mom has dinner ready on my arrival and knowing dinner was being cooked for me, I stopped in the shop on the way home and picked up an apple pie and some cream. (€3.70)
6.30 pm: I normally call over to my parents maybe a few times a week to say hi, but since I moved out at around 22, I generally only stay for Christmas etc., so I am relishing this unexpected stopover. I clean up from dinner and I decide to take my two dogs for a walk. I try my best to sneak getting ready for the walk but one of them sees me putting on the Hi-VIS. Game over. Ball burst. The excitement and knowledge of the walk cannot be hidden any longer, so I battle with two squirmy excited dogs to get their harnesses on, and off we go.
8.00 pm: Took a longer walk than expected around the town, but it was a glorious night and the two dogs seemed happy to stay out. Back at home now and I make some tea and head into the sitting room to wind down for the evening.
10.30 pm: After catching up on a bit of The Great British Bake Off with my mom, I head to bed. Haunted by the urge to scroll Tik Tok, I give in and finally switch off for bed at around 11.30 pm.
Today’s total: €16.05
7.00 am: I wake up before my alarm. I definitely think sleeping in my old room is playing tricks on me. My boyfriend’s back today so this will be the last of my “holiday mode” until Christmas. I have a habit of checking my accounts at the start of the week to see did my savings go to where they’re supposed to, did my pay come in and did my standing orders all go off ok. Everything seems good, so I get up, shower, and make a coffee.
12.15 pm: An absolute hell of a morning. System issues all morning and card payments not receipting. Any financial workers’ worst nightmare. The system finally comes back, so it is an afternoon of catching up.
1.00 pm: Never got a moment to get some breakfast today so I head over to a café and get soup and brown bread to go (€5.00) and have bottled water from yesterday’s purchase.
1.25 pm: I get a call from our floorer. The hallway and sitting room is done so the green light can now be passed on to the painters to get going on downstairs. It has been so hard to get labourers for the renovations of the house we are doing. Thankfully things are tipping along nicely now. We are living in the house; it is by no means “done” but it is ours and we are both delira enough with that.
3.30 pm: Invoice comes in for my fuel card. I got a fuel card paired with my current account a few months back as it was offering a few cents off a litre, and I thought it could not hurt. It has worked out quite well for me. I now tend to get my diesel on a rotation basis more or less every Monday morning now. This invoice was for €63.90, and when I check my account, I see it has been taken by direct debit this afternoon.
4.00 pm: Waiting for a Zoom call to begin, so I take this chance to order my sister’s birthday present and one of my secret santa presents. I spend €68.99 on two gifts online. Nice to get a few presents out of the way!
5.10 pm: My partner’s home this evening from his course so my little holiday at my parents’ is over. I’d great intentions to do a shop and have a dinner cooking but when I arrive home, I’m met with a building site. With dust and materials all over the house, I quickly decide a dinner won’t be cooked today.
7.00 pm: En-route home, my partner picked up our bath that was ready for collection, so when he arrives we (he) carries in the bath and all the bits and bobs that he collected for the bathroom (tiles, grout, etc). Once that was all carried in, a joint decision was made that a McDonalds was deserved. He treated us, so nothing spent on my side.
8.30 pm: There was a bit of a road diversion due to a tree falling, so a longer than anticipated trip for food, but it was nice to have the chats and a little spin together. Since getting the keys and committing to doing the house up, whilst living there, I think sometimes we forget to make a little “us” time. I head for a shower when we get home.
10.30 pm: We watched the final of The Great British Bake Off (much to his despair) but I’m delighted with the winner.
Today’s total: €137.89
6.15 am: Woken by my partner’s phone ringing. It was our painters who advised they will be calling today. Exciting! They were waiting to start the job until all the flooring and skirting was done, so up out of bed with a pep in my step this morning. Long awaited the painters to start as some of the colour choices and paint application in the house haunts me.
8.00 am: Painters arrive bang on 8am. I have a little chat with them, double-check that they know paint choices and where to paint and I head off to work.
8.30 am: When I arrive at the work carpark, I realise the fridge and cupboards are literally bare for the painters, so I Revolut my partner who is working from home this morning €20.00 to nip to the shop to pick a few bits up for them (milk, teabags, biscuits, etc). They’re a great bunch of lads so I couldn’t have nothing in the house – my inner Irish mammy wouldn’t allow it!
11.20 am: Work flies this morning. Didn’t make my normal coffee this morning and I can definitely feel the lack of caffeine. I must call to the bank and withdraw monies for my half of the mortgage – payment is due Friday. I head out and get that done before I forget.
11.45 am: Lodge mortgage payment into joint account (€440.00) and while I was out, I get a notification that my Zara package is ready to collect in the post office, so I head over and get that.
1.10 pm: Few colleagues and I decided to go for lunch. I get a toastie with a side of chips with a water. (€8.95)
3.55 pm: I’m in the process of training in a new staff member at the moment, so most of my work days are consumed with that for now. I take some time to clear my own emails and check off some boring admin stuff before we have a group meeting at 4.15 pm.
4.20 pm: Thank god for text reminders. Forgot I booked in a nail appointment for myself today at 5pm in preparation for a trip we have to Belgium at the start of December (not sure how likely this is with current Covid situation now, but we live and hope). Haven’t had my nails done in over a year with the house works, so looking forward to this.
5.45 pm: Nails done, and I feel like a new woman. €30.00 well spent
6.15 pm: Home from work and my partner has meatballs cooking for dinner. I wouldn’t be blessed with great cooking skills, but I’m blessed that he is!
7.00 pm: Finish up dinner. As he cooked, I do the wash up. We then have a look around the house and take a look at the painters’ work so far. I make the decision to paint the stairs black, get my partner on board by showing Pinterest pictures, so the undercoat went on today and even that has changed the whole hallway look. Nervous wait now to see if the black stairs will actually be nice!
9.30 pm: Most nights now, my partner and I normally talk through interior ideas and paint options. We’re taking the renovation room by room, so we have nearly completed the sitting room and our sofa is due to be delivered in the next few weeks. We’ll start budgeting and looking into bathroom ideas now. How my evenings have changed!
10.30 pm: I’m in the middle of completing my Masters in insurance, so I take my laptop to the spare room where the desk is and begin looking at my latest assignment. Since the Leaving Cert, I’ve always worked my best in the evenings. Studying and assignments always get done best in the dead of night for me when I’ve no distractions.
12.10 pm: After a couple of hours researching and planning the layout of my assignment, I end it there for the night and head to bed.
Today’s total: €498.95
7.00 am: Up early again this morning as the painters are coming again.
7.50 am: I leave a little bit earlier this morning because I was ready earlier than normal. I arrive in town and while passing McDonald’s, I succumb to the urge to get a drive-thru latte (€2.00). I don’t normally get takeaway coffees, but with no queue in the drive-thru this morning, how could I resist?
10.58 am: I take a break for breakfast and have my Weetabix and banana I brought from home. Not doing a food shop for this week has really limited my breakfast choices, so note to self – don’t skip a Sunday food shop again.
11.35 am: Work’s been the usual. Our new staff member seems to be grasping things really well so I think I’ll be letting them spread their wings solo for the rest of the evening and tomorrow to see how they get on.
12.53 pm: Radio is normally on in the background at work, but today a call with a night nurse who works with the Irish Cancer Society got my attention. It was a beautiful chat that described the work they do and I just thought what amazing people they are, so I pop onto the website and donate €20.00 and buy the Christmas ornament for €15.00. My parents always instilled in us to give what we can, when we can and I’m fortunate enough that I can offer something, and I hope it makes a small difference somewhere.
1.10 pm: I break for lunch and I have the classic ham sandwich with soup for my lunch today that I brought from home.
5.00 pm: I log off for the day and head home.
5.30 pm: I arrive home and the painters have made a huge dent in the hallway and landing – delighted! My partner’s still working so I grab a few bags and head to Aldi to do a shop. I pick up a few things for lunch tomorrow and for dinner for the weekend. We use our joint card for all food shops so that covered this bill.
7.00 pm: Cooked chicken in a tomato sauce with some cauliflower rice and veg. Still not sure if I actually like cauliflower rice, but it’s not the worst so I’ll eat it over normal rice to be “good”. He’s still on and off calls for the evening so I take one for the team and do the wash up as well.
8.30 pm: My dad calls around as he will be the one fitting the kitchen, so we chat about that over a cup of tea and he measures a few bits.
10.30 pm: I now know for sure I get my chat from my dad. When he calls he stays for hours chatting, I love it. I wave him off, lock up and I head to bed to watch some Netflix (I still sign in to the family Netflix).
Today’s total: €37.00
7.45 am: I snooze my alarm a bit this morning, but I finally get up and get ready for work.
8.10 am: I head off with a wrap with some cheese, lettuce, chicken and some rice cakes with me to have for lunch, along with two Weetabix for breakfast.
10.15 am: I remember the Lotto money is due for the syndicate in work. I’ve €20.00 in my purse so I add that to the envelope on my floor for the Lotto and that will cover me for November and December.
11.10 am: The system at work is still so slow. I’m not sure if it’s just my PC or not but it’s really dragging, so opening any emails or Excels is taking forever. I reboot my PC and go for my breakfast in the canteen.
12.30 pm: I ring my mom for a chat. Since The Late Late Toy Show is on this evening, she invites me and my partner to come around for a takeaway and watch it there. She knows well we have no sofa to sit and relax on, so I take this invite and run with it! I will provide the takeaway though. My parents have helped us so much with the move so me getting a takeaway of a Friday is a no brainer.
1.15 pm: The wrap I made myself for lunch was actually very nice. I used some garlic mayo I found in the fridge and that made it I think.
3.05 pm: I’ve downloaded the projections and policy list for January this afternoon so for the rest of the evening, I’ll be dividing up the Excels and getting them ready for my team to crack on with the start of next week.
5.00 pm: I log off bang on the button as it’s Friday and it’s been a long week. Head out of work and home.
6.00 pm: I have a quick shower and get into my comfies. I ring for the takeaway and gather a few sweet treats to bring over with me to my parents for the Toy Show.
6.30 pm: My partner drives and I nip in to collect the takeaway. (€46.00)
9.25 pm: Full belly and ready and waiting for the Toy Show. Not sure why we even watch it anymore, there’s no children in the house. Maybe it’s just an Irish thing. Fire on, dogs on my lap, that’s me set for the night now.
12.30 am: We head home and straight to bed.
Today’s total: €66.00
10.00 am: I have an unexpected lie-in. Normally rise with no alarm around nine-ish so that was nice. My partner is still sleeping so I get up and get the breakfast going. We have a few frozen pain au chocolats and croissants in the freezer, so I bang those in the oven and boil a few eggs. Nigella Lawson who??
11.00 am: Ready for the day of cleaning ahead. With the house under renovation, I tend not to clean too much throughout the week as I’ve learnt the hard way: if I clean an area some evening, be sure it will be dusty and dirty the following eve. I do a blitz clean of the bathrooms and kitchen and hoover and sweep the hallway.
2.00 pm: Didn’t think I was cleaning for that long, but at least the house looks a little bit more homey! My partner’s told me we’re heading into town this eve for 6pm, so I do a bit of laundry and clean the bedroom of my disregarded clothes from the week.
3.30 pm: I’m ready to leave and so is my partner so we head to town and look around the shops. I’ve had my eye on a garland for the fireplace for a while, so I pick that up for €47.99. My partner doesn’t understand the price of Christmas decorations. Lucky I’m here to steer us right!
5.30 pm: Strolling around and I realise he’s brought me to town because it’s the Christmas parade and turning on of the Christmas lights. What a gem he is. We get a bag of chips (his treat) and stand and watch the parade pass by.
6.20 pm: The parade was just lovely and seeing and hearing the children scream with delight when Santa drove past was just so nice. It’s a stark reminder of how much “children” things they have lost out on over the past year and a bit, so I’m delighted they had tonight to have fun. If my boyfriend and I at age 27 had a fun evening, I can only imagine how the children felt!
7.00 pm: I’d planned on meeting my girls at one of their houses this eve for a catch up. Wine will be on the cards, so I grab two bottles from the shop (€28.00) and my partner en-route to his own friends drops me up.
1.00 am: Time flies when you’re having fun. I buzz my partner to come and collect me. Home again to bed after a lovely evening of Christmas and fun with friends. How I’ve missed it!
Today’s total: €75.99
11.30 am: Definitely a wine-induced lie-in, but I won’t complain. It was worth it. My partner has some sausages going and a pot of tea ready, so I join him in the kitchen and we have breakfast and the chats.
1.00 pm: We got a few paint pot testers for one of the bedrooms. We’re not getting any of the bedrooms professionally painted as it would just cost too much, and also we’ve no idea what colours or what the bedrooms will be used for. We get out the big bucket of brilliant white and the rollers and we white wash the room.
4.00 pm: It’s a small single room, so we get the walls all white and I start the cutting in along the coving and skirting.
4.50 pm: My dad calls over as he’s fitting the kitchen, so we stop for a cup of tea. My partner helps him in the kitchen and I continue the cutting in.
6.00 pm: It’s dark out now, but most of the room is now all white and ready to be painted when we pick a colour. I take the roller tray and brushes outside and wash them.
7.30 pm: A shower and another cup of tea later, I’m in the kitchen thinking what we’ll have for dinner. There’s two frozen pizzas, so I throw those in for us with some chips and garlic bread.
8.15 pm: I clean up the kitchen after dinner and I think after our productive day, an early night is on the cards.
9.00 pm: We tuck in for bed and we throw on some Peaky Blinders. I kind of watched this in college but I can’t remember any of it so we started it again this week.
Today’s total: €0.00
***
What I learned -
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Can’t wait to see the comments on how some people will find something wrong with this
@Mark Murphy: they have all ready started in the previous article, not in my town, Africa doing it faster, wrong colour……..
@Mark Murphy: oh you mean don’t mention the fact that it’s at least 2 months late and that one can draw a direct line from that delay to the number of deaths. Fine, well you can continue with your fanboy status, I’ll speak the truth and hold the government to account
@Marc Johns: Hold the government to account for problems in the global supply chain of vaccines ? Speaking whatever tripe pops into your head is not the same as speaking the truth.
@Marc Johns: we didn’t have the vaccine 2 months ago and did you want front line workers and care home residents brought to a hurling field to get their shot?!?
@Marc Johns: except that that’s not accurate at all. It’s not late. Ireland, like every other country, can only operate within the limits of the amount of vaccines its received. For example we got a shipment of just over 5k in the first batch. Are you seriously suggesting all these vaccination centres should have been open when we were only getting small amounts of Pfizer vaccines at the start? As the shipments increased so the numbers of people being able to be vaccinated has increased. That’s why these centres are now needed. Common sense. Also there is no correlation between your idea of a delay and deaths increasing. The vaccine wasn’t approved until late December. Deaths increased because the new strain hit the country when we opened at Christmas.
@Marc Johns: eh, no, it’s not “late”, as there isn’t enough supply of vaccines to warrant opening them yet.
If they opened 2 months ago, you’d be complaining about why everyone was standing around doing nothing in them, as they don’t have enough vaccines to go round.
There was no point opening them before now, and there still won’t be any point for a couple of months yet, until we get enough vaccines being produced and delivered to us.
@Marc Johns: marc go to bed , what are ya talking about fan boy status for, you haven’t a scoobie doo what your talking about..get off the page man
@Ger: and who permitted the reopening and the travel??
@Tommy Roche: yes exactly. We are one of the richest countries in the world. We should have been in the ranks of Israel and the UAE on this topic. Every. Single. Day. Counts.
@Sarah Cullen: what’s that got to do with anything? We had been in lockdown for 6 weeks before. People were advised to avail of late shopping hours, no one listened, shops and streets were as busy as any other year. People were given guidance on social distancing and mask wearing if they visited family, also reducing numbers. People clearly didn’t listen to that either. No one forced people to shop in crowed shops or walk in crowded streets. People went into town, saw the crowds and decided to take the risk. Its on us. If the government had ordered a lockdown over Christmas do you honestly think these people would have listened?
@Ger: “on us” being a very loose term, I did none of the items described above. It is on the government, even MM has said he made the wrong decision to not listen to nphet advise. While I take your point on the supply of the vaccine, (totally ignoring other countries within the EU getting their own supplies elsewhere), I do not accept that enough was done to avoid the situation of last month where as a nation from the top down we failed all of the people who died. Also it was entirely predictable that it would go one way and one way only. But no I am not accepting your “on us” on any level, I kept my kids away from other kids, I didnt go out shopping, even to the supermarket, I had xmas dinner just those who live in the house, I didnt party, I havent been in a pub in a year etc. I even emailed MM and Varadkar before xmas advising of how it would go (exactly as it did) if they kept schools open til 22nd and allowed intergenerational mixing thereafter….. Its not on me.
@Sarah Cullen: when I say “on us” I mean the people in general. Like you, I followed all the advice as did my family and we were able to have a safe if limited Christmas and no one got infected. The people who ignored the advice would have ignored the restrictions. You know it and I know it. It happened in the UK. The UK had tight restrictions over Christmas and their deaths went through the roof in January also. At an even higher rate than ours actually. 3 to 1 per head of population for most of the month. The UK varient hitting us as we relaxed restrictions was the perfect storm sadly.
@Marc Johns: you speak gibberish and you won’t be holding anything or anyone to account.
@Mark Murphy: I’m not one for whinging but I won’t be traveling to Enniscorthy for a vaccine which for me is 23km away plus Enniscorthy is at the centre of high cases in Co Wexford right now. Why can’t a centre be sought in Wexford town also say Clonard Community Centre or or Wexford County Council building or Wexford library Talbot Hotel or others.
@Marc Johns: look Is really paid several times what we are paying and as an extra sweetener for Pfizer agreed to give them almost real time data on the vaccinated population. They are in a position to do that sas they have the most advanced health service IT system in the world.
Lithuania tried to source vaccines independently and were priced out of it by bigger competitors.
@Marc Johns: You need a break from the Journal lad. Get out and get some fresh air for yourself or watch a 6 season TV show. Anybody who doesn’t agree with your perennially negative nonsense is derided as being a ‘fanboy’. It must be painful being that pessimistic. “I’m gonna wake up this morning and go on the Journal to complain about the Government. Again.” You think you’re ‘holding them to account?’ You realise that none of them read this?
@Mark Murphy: people are entitled to their opinions. You’re not the only person with an opinion that’s valid
@Marc Power: You’re entitled to an opinion Marc, but don’t be offended if that opinion is found to be utter horsesh*t.
@Marc Power: You’re entitled to an opinion Marc, but don’t be offended if that opinion is found to be utter rubbish.
@Marc Power: You’re entitled to an opinion Marc, but don’t be offended if that opinion is found to be nonsense.
@Mark Murphy: he’s telling the truth unlike you and your sheep like posting
@Marc Power: good man marc. Head on back inside and finish your colouring in book, fresh air got to ya.
@Mark Murphy: Whingefest already on Liveline.
@Tommy Roche: 26,000 doses of AstraZeneca arrived in this country two and half weeks ago and last I heard they had administered 700 doses. Supply is an issue but it’s not the whole story. Utterly ridiculous.
@Marc Johns: If Ireland is one of the richest nations in the world as you suggest then why in 2009 did we have to get the Bank Of England to give Ireland a loan to bail us out.
@Mark Murphy: 37…not enough…delayed aswell…not good enough …15 million vaccinated in England to our 200,000 plus, not good enough..
Well you did ask.
@Mark Murphy: How about the GAA having its over active snout in the trough as usual?
@Marc Johns: The fatalities were caused by people spreading the virus at Christmas. Cant vaccinate if you dont have them and we dont have them.
@Marc Johns: Money makes only a small difference in this issue and not enough to change anything for us.
@: They need a venue with certain facilities and this is the best one. It is not they figured lets pick there I always liked that town. Separate entrances and exits with complete segregation etc. are required
@Marc Power: So everybody is wrong bar the Marc’s, you certainly are that a right pair of marks.
@Gary Kearney: Wexford town has such facilities Talbot hotel Whites Hotel Clonard Community Centre Wexford Co Co building Talbot is currently used by IBTS every 3 months and it works Clonard Community Centre has multiple entrances and exits and toilet facilities Scoil Mhuire National School another St Joseph’s Centre Loreto Secondary school. Or rent a large marquee place that marquee on a football pitch with car park facilities. Lots of options. Enniscorthy is not a problem for me but for some who can’t travel have to find a way to get there.
Great news. Now why wasn’t this sorted before now?
@Marc Power: and the first one with something wrong….
@Marc Power: emmm…supply?
@Marc Power: we’re a small fish when it comes to supply, whether we like it or not
@Marc Power: Because there was no need for them. And there still isn’t. When supplies from drug companies increase, then they’ll be needed.
We’re currently using everything we get.
We have more than enough capacity and capability, but not enough supplies of vaccines coming, this will increase in the next few months.
This is outlined in the article if you bother to read it.
@Mark Murphy: they are making a valid point tho so its not a criticism. Look at the vaccine roll out here compared to NI for example. We are dragging our feet whilst small business owners are struggling
@Marc Power: we didnt have the vaccine supply
@Marc Power: has the limited supply justified sorting this before now?
@Marc Power: it wasn’t needed before now.
@James Lyons: we’re not actually. We’re getting the same amount as every other EU nation per head of population and are still in the top 3 in the EU for numbers with shots in arms.
@Seanie Bourke: define “dragging our feet”. Every single vile of vaccine we have is being used. If we were dragging our feet there would be loads being dumped every day because they’re not being used. The UK approved the vaccines before the EU did, that’s why NI is ahead. If the EU rushed to approve them people would be complaining about that too. We can only work with what we have and we are ramping up week on week. Just like every other country in the world
@Marc Power: I’d they were built and not being used you’d complain about wasting tax payers money
@Mark Murphy: what the article contains is an ‘announcement’ about a rollout of vaccination centers. The rollout before the rollout. That’s where we are. Let’s see when these centers appear. The government is filling voids with announcements and hype and blah blah.
Planning for this should have begun in March with their announcements ready to report as soon as the vaccine was approved in December.
@J: nothing wrong with expecting more from a bunch of cl*wns who are more interested in rolling out depressing numbers every day rather than sourcing vaccines or planning ahead for when they are sourced. Bet your one of the I’m al right Jack types not financially affected by this government’s reaction to this pandemic? I am. So the feet dragging and acceptance of incompetence by people like you is part of the problem.
@GFunkEire: supply doesn’t seem to be an issue elsewhere. Why does it have to be here?
@GFunkEire: supply sourcing doesn’t seem to be a problem for other countries including Hungary… an EU country. Why does it have to be am issue here?
@Marc Power: maybe because you weren’t in charge?
@Marc Power: do you fancy rolling the dice with a Russian vaccine? Honest question. I’d rather mine was vetted according to EU standards.
@Seanie Bourke: We are not dragging our feet we have some of the best figure in the world and we are not taking the wild risks they are in the UK either.
Longford Slashers GAA – what a name
@Adrian: well appropriate to what’s living there boss!
No vaccination centre in Limerick, it’s in Co.Clare!
@Adam O’Sullivan: radisson is in limerick
@Niall Lee: It’s in County Clare. Check your boundaries.
@Niall Lee: Raddison is in Clare, that said it’s only 1.3 km from the county border with Limerick.
@Patrick J. Keating: where’s the boundary pal
@Niall Lee: It’s at the “Welcome To County Clare” sign between Sheils Lansdowne and the Coonagh Roundabout. You’ll find that Sheils is also in County Clare as is The Two Mile Inn Hotel which is now a Care Home Facility.
@Adam O’Sullivan: Ah will you stop Adam. Seriously. Its clearly the limerick vaccine center.
“eM wElL aCtUaLlY iTs AcRoSs ThR bOrDeR”
It makes literally no difference that its 1500m further out the road. There will likely be shuttle services put on in addition to the 343 intercity bus that stops there regularly. 20min bus ride.
Half of UL is in Clare for god sake.
@Niall Lee: no its not, do your homework, its county clare
@David Jordan: obviously no hotels in limerick city
It’s in the Banner Co…Meelick parish ..
@Niall Lee: Radisson is in Clare
@Mr_Bumkee: your not allowed make sense on the journal, the moaners won’t be happy.
@Adam O’Sullivan: It’s a very poor location for a Limerick centre. Surely Ballysimon, Castletroy or even Limerick Racecourse would have been more suitable for city and county dwellers alike. The Dock, Condell and Ennis roads are always busy and the Radisson is at the wrong side of the city for most people living across the county.
@Mr_Bumkee: it doesn’t change its in Clare and inaccessible for a large amount of limerick
@Patrick J. Keating: A City can span a county boundary you half-wit.
Anybody selling a ticket?
@Joe Price: assume there’ll be a few Dublin lads outside with headscarves and programmes that will sort you out.
Can’t wait to see the comments on how some people will find something wrong with this
@Mark Murphy: ya one centre in Galway. Situated in one of the most problematic areas for traffic on the east. Nothing on the west. Hmmm. No issues at all, nothing to see.
@JustBEERbarry: Same as donegal. For such a big county like Galway, mayo there should be more than one
@Shaun Gallagher: why so many test centres to begin with but so few vaccine centres?
@Shaun Gallagher: Sure half of Mayo live in Galway.
@Mark Murphy: Poke poke poke. Grow up and find something meaningful to be right about.
@JustBEERbarry: Are there many test centers? I only know of one in Cork, and even that’s a guess tbh. I genuinely couldn’t tell you where the test centers are here in Cork.
And the spread of vaccination places in Cork is very bad. I’m in North East Cork. None are anywhere reasonably close to me. 3 are clustered in the city.. Clonmel in Tipp would nearly be more convenient for me…
@JustBEERbarry: because….. there are limited supplies of vaccine… there wasn’t limits on testing… no point in opening 60 or 70 vaccine centres and ppl sat around doing very little, much more sense that each centre is busy
@Shaun Gallagher:
Agree huge counties like Galway and Mayo while small counties like Kerry and Westmeath has 2, what was the criteria for how many in each county,
@Mark Murphy: 2 in Kerry with a smaller population than donegal.
@JustBEERbarry: Same with Limerick. One centre situated inside the Clare border with three very busy bottlenecks to access it. Makes no sense given how suitable Ballysimon, Castletroy or the Racecourse would have been for city and county dwellers alike.
Who said Pairc Ui Chaoimh was a waste of money.
Anyone else frustrated that we live on an island and we can’t close the country off
And we can’t even manage to vaccinate a small population and getting a hit for tax what ever the cost of the vaccine it would have to be cheaper than paying people to stay at home
@Anthony Gogarty: oh to live in your magical world where there is an endless supply of vaccines and there aren’t actually two countries sharing our island with different ideas about how how to deal with stuff like travel.
According to the one o’clock news the centres are not ready just yet, but will be available as soon as possible?? Dublin will have four centres. Most other counties will only have one centre in use four the whole county!!How are people to get to these centres? Are we being told more lies? This rollout of vaccinations for the elderly is a farce, totally disorganised.
@Frank Brennan: u wot m8? Engage your brain.
Dublin has 4 because it has a much higher amount of the population than any other county.
People get to the centres by driving, public transport, etc, the same way they get around now. These will not be the only places doing them.
The centres are not ready yet because they are for giving vaccines when we get down through the groups and into the later groups, which are basically all people between the ages of 18-60 with no underlying health conditions or requirements. That will be done in the summer, not now.
Maybe try read the article and the other articles on this before furiously mashing the keyboard.
@Johnny: so to be clear you are okay with the plan outlined in your comment??
@Johnny: also johnny, I have just looked up the Mayo centre (singular) its 7.1km away from any public transport depots….assuming everyone can access a bus to castlebar from Mayo… belmullet to breaffy house is 2 hours and 39 minutes using public transport….each way. I think you may have overlooked the size of the counties….remember we actively want people to take the vaccine.
@Frank Brennan: cork will have 5
@Johnny: Cork has 5 vaccination centres with 40% of Dublin population
@Sarah Cullen: the vaccine will also be given in GP practices, pharmacies, and probably dentists too. It isn’t just these 37 places. Belmullet to Breaffy House is irrelevant. There will be many places to get the vaccine.
Only one center in Louth! Always Dundalk. There should be one in Drogheda also.
@JC: Mon the Town!!
I think everyone is taking the wrong message from the U.K. success. In 28 days or so the U.K. and NO should be effectively post pandemic.
With over 50% vaccinated or infected the circulation of the virus will stop.
Variants are irrelevant it seems, and seasonality of coronavirus explains our numbers as much as a Kent variation.
So, we have a successful vaccine programme rolling out on less than a year that has a 94% efficacy rate.
There not much to moan about here. And can we drop this travel nonsense. NZ have tried and failed, as has Victoria.
Vaccination not solitary confinement is the answer now.
@Gerard Carthy: They will not be vaccinated, they will be half way vaccinated
Great… Wexford one centre at the end of a Cul de sac… Lol you couldn’t make it up… Traffic is bad enough there on a good day..
The Maldron Hotel is on the ring road of Wexford Town next to a main route roundabout. .. But no that might make sense to put the centre on a large road with access to all sides of the County from a large roundabout…
I wonder how long it will take before people start giving out about how much the hotels used are being paid….
Limerick doesn’t have any centre. The radisson is in Clare. They’ve also got the one at the west county in Ennis. Where are South and west Limerick people supposed to go to?
Only one for county Kildare. In the middle of nowhere. Great for those of us who don’t drive, not.
@Gwen Langford: Was only thinking that myself. Most Kildare people haven’t a clue where Punchestown is, let alone have the means to get there, Newbridge or Naas would have been far more suitable.
Why not churches? One almost in every village and town. Oh yeah probably paying GAA and hotels.
@Anne Busher Collins: the church of Ireland in my own area have offered the use of their hall for this
@Sean Treacy: seemingly a lot of churches offered…. And weren’t taken up.. No idea why?
@Sean Leonard: Because some people won’t step inside a church, myself included…
@Neil Farrell: is that because you’re only 12? It’s for a vaccine not mass, plonker
*Meath – Simonstown GAA Club, home to Simonstown Gaels, not Simmons or gales!
Why is there an asterisk next to Offaly? Don’t see a corresponding explanation
@ismiijill: I was just about to ask but they updated the article to include an explanation at the bottom.
@ismiijill: look again
@ismiijill: probably something to do with Darby pushing Tommy Doyle before the goal in ’82.
@ismiijill: contracts are to be finalised. Says it at the bottom of the article.
What, no special priority sites for undocumented immigrants before citizens like in Connecticut, or for prison inmates before the public like in New Jersey? I am appalled.
Only 1 centre for Limerick City and County?
@Trish Forde-Brennan: and thats not even in Limerick
Surely the point of these centres is to cut down on travel. I live in kildare. We’ve a population of over 220,000 and yet there’s only one centre. Are they expecting people to travel to bordering counties for vaccine?
Only one centre for Limerick City and County?
I wonder are there any costs involved re rent of premises or centres or as they are mostly funded by our taxes ,there would only be basis operational costs.?
Interesting to see what contracts are like.
Just talking to a friend last week and we both agreed that churches or community halls should be considered for the roll out of the vaccine. Good news that venues have been named, Pg we’ll get vaccinated soon
@Olive Nugent: why?? Why we pay millions taxes where is government plans?? Oh yeah we building social housing for “ homeless “ , no we give more social welfare for addicts. Stop doing this that is my money and maybe when government take 50% taxes from me maybe I except vaccine in government facilities or free crèche for my baby. No we give more for lazy social people
@Mislav Smok: You can take that attitude and go away with it. I am not lazy far from it but I am on social welfare for the rest of my life which is under the poverty level.
Noting lazy about pensioners who worked all their lives or people like me who became not allowed to work due to disabilities.
So cop on or get lost
Be more concerned about getting the vaccine that where the bloody centres are
@Craig Barry: No concerned about getting the vaccine at all. Give it to me ASAP.
Only thing gathered in those centres will be cobwebs, sure we have fxx all vaccines, what a load of tripe ppl are being fed to hide the incompetance of this crowd.
@Leo O’ Leary: Ah Leo, always the same ray of sunshine, the vaccines are coming on schedule so relax
Not very geographical laid out. I would guess youghal must be at least 60km from any centre
The aviva had to get it as croke park had the testing contract
Massive waste of money and resources for which we will have austerity imposed on us for years to come, enabling more funds snap up everything for half price. Its now the great neoliberal plan ever and Pharma make a fortune on top.
Ivermectin is much much cheaper, it looks like its more effective and is definitely safer.(much longer safety history)
They could keep a handful of vaccination centres for the groups that actually need it like the elderly and those with underlying conditions and scrap the rest.
Lets look at the epidemiological data for Ivermectin efficacy and free free to try to discount it AFTER READING IT. https://covid19criticalcare.com/i-mask-prophylaxis-treatment-protocol/epidemiologic-analyses-on-covid19-and-ivermectin/
@Gary McNamara: 21 countries now using Ivermectin including the latest Japan. Are they all wrong? or are our little corrupt gombeen politicians right? You decide!
@Gary McNamara: It’s more important to invest in stopping people getting infected and transmitting the virus in the first place than spending money treating those already infected with it. Prevention is better than cure!
@Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin: Thanks for the response, however please read the link, Ivermectin is a very good prophpylaxus for covid 19. It will stop people getting the virus and can be taken as such. My Strategy is that if I ever become symptomatic I will test with my rapid antigen tests that I have here and then take my Ivermectin that I also have here. Pandemic over.
@Gary McNamara: It works as part of the overall package, you have this idea it is a wonder cure and it is not, it helps.
As regards the global conspiracy, we all know about that, we are all in on it bar you.
@Gary Kearney: have you looked at the evidence of its use Gary from latin America to Africa to India, you clearly havent. Have you watched the documentaries on it, you havent, have you followed Professor Paul Marik and Dr Pierre Kory since December campaiging for it I dont think you have. Why else would it not be used when it improves outcomes by 80% Surely everything available should be in use to prevent death. Its not even being discussed in Ireland. Explain that to me please. Start your education with this documentary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-crkxcWyWEc&feature=youtu.be
@Gary Kearney: At least you are now conceding that it helps, last week I was an antilockdown spacer…check out Utter Pradesh in India too 230 million peopleand no deaths all attributable to Ivermectin, not vaccines (only 600k vaccinated) that means it works alone without your magic ” package” …..please more evidence if you need it, just ask
@Gary Kearney: Part 2 of that documentary especially for you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g5QWO_3A64&feature=youtu.be
Well done to the soccer clubs
The one in greystones is not confirmed due to issues with the owners of the golf club…well done Donnelly. Jumping ahead of yourself again
@Eddie Michael:
Well the golf club closed permanently last year as far as I know… Wouldn’t be a bad location, but don’t let me stop your rant..
The simple fact is that the Irish government relied on the EU/European Commission (along with every other EU member state) to secure the required amount of Pfizer Biontech vaccine to vaccinate the entire population, however the EU initially turned their nose up at the costs required during the Summer (to secure the required amounts of pfizer/biontech) and instead hedged their bets on Moderna and Oxford AZ vaccines, which were in turn delayed. Only in November did the EU do a deal with pfizer to start securing vaccine doses, by which time it was too late and UK/US had secured huge bulk orders for the first round of doses manufactured. Irish government could have circmuvented EU regulations and dealt with pfizer/biontech themselves but didn’t bother at the time (as I’d imagine most though the worst was over). It’s all in this article: (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jan/19/eus-covid-vaccination-debacle-is-down-to-institutional-inflexibility)
Can i get one shot
The simple fact is that the Irish government relied on the EU/European Commission (along with every other EU member state) to secure the required amount of Pfizer Biontech vaccine to vaccinate the entire population, however the EU initially turned their nose up at the costs required during the Summer (to secure the required amounts of pfizer/biontech) and instead hedged their bets on Moderna and Oxford AZ vaccines, which were in turn delayed. Only in November did the EU do a deal with pfizer to start securing vaccine doses, by which time it was too late and UK/US had secured huge bulk orders for the first round of doses manufactured. Irish government could have circmuvented EU regulations and dealt with pfizer/biontech themselves but didn’t bother at the time (as I’d imagine most though the worst was over). It’s all in this article: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jan/19/eus-covid-vaccination-debacle-is-down-to-institutional-inflexibility
@Gary Kearney:Finally I did say the following earlier “They could keep a handful of vaccination centres for the groups that actually need it like the elderly and those with underlying conditions and scrap the rest” so vaccinations may play a smaller role too
have your say