Queen Elizabeth II speaks Irish during Ireland visit in 2011

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Over 100,000 British expats live in Ireland. The Emerald Isle has plenty to attract new residents although many were left unimpressed by some of Ireland’s amenities.

The Expat Insider survey asks expats to rank their home based on several key factors including housing, security and healthcare.

Ireland was ranked towards the end of the table, coming in 38th place out of the 52 countries surveyed.

For many expats, the cost of living was a huge issue in Ireland with one person claiming the housing situation was “outrageous”.

An Italian expat said: “The cost of living is outrageous. It is impossible to find decent accommodation at affordable prices.”

Almost three-quarters of expats said that housing was unaffordable in Ireland compared to just 43 percent of expats globally.

According to property website Daft.ie, rental prices hit an all-time high in Ireland in August with supply at its lowest level.

The cost of rental accommodation had risen by almost 13 percent and there were just 716 homes available to renters.

Nearly three in five expats were unhappy with the cost of living in Ireland and almost 40 percent felt they didn’t have enough disposable income.

Healthcare was another huge issue for expats in Ireland with almost half of those surveyed claiming it was unaffordable.

One expat claimed: “The scarcity of beds in public hospitals is appalling, in addition to the poor quality of health services and the long waiting list for both public and private hospitals.”

Nearly half of expats felt it was difficult to access the kind of healthcare services that they needed.

UK citizens living in Ireland are entitled to healthcare on the same basis as Irish citizens.

People will need to pay a fee for some services in Ireland depending on their personal circumstances.

They can access medical care by paying standard patient charges or using the country’s medical card.

Although Ireland scored negatively in some of the survey categories, expats rated Ireland highly when it came to career opportunities.

Over two in three expats were happy with the job market while three in four said moving to Ireland had helped their career.

An expat said: “The job opportunities are many, thanks to a dynamic economy.”

Expats also felt that Ireland’s work culture embraced flexibility and more than 70 percent of expats were satisfied with their job.

People also said that Irish nationals were welcoming and over three quarters of expats considered them friendly.

One expat said: “The people are friendly and welcoming. It is a safe place to live, learn and work.

“It has become my first home, and I would like to continue living here.”

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