Cars 4 Rental - Cheap Car Rentals Online Bookings

General Money Health Climate Passport

(back to contents)

Cars 4 Rental Information on Ireland

General

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

Population: 4,048,800 (2004).

Population Density: 56.7 per sq km.

Capital: Dublin. Population: 1,144,400 (2004).

GEOGRAPHY: The Republic of Ireland lies in the north Atlantic Ocean and is separated from Britain by the Irish Sea to the east. The northeastern part of the island (Northern Ireland) is part of the United Kingdom. The country has a central plain surrounded by a rim of mountains and hills offering some of the most varied and unspoilt scenery in Europe – quiet sandy beaches, semi-tropical bays warmed by the Gulf Stream, and rugged cliffs make up the 5600km (3500 miles) of coastline.

Government: Republic. Head of State: President Mary McAleese since 1997. Head of Government: Prime Minister Bertie Ahern since 1997.

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

Religion: Roman Catholic 77 per cent, the remainder being Protestant, with Jewish and Islamic minorities.

Time: GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before the last Sunday in October).

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

Communications:

Telephone

IDD is available. Country code: 353 followed by the area code, omitting the initial zero. Outgoing international code: 00.

Mobile telephone

GSM 900 networks cover the whole country. GSM 900/1800 networks operated by O2 Communications (Ireland) Ltd (website: http://web.02.ci), Meteor (website: www.meteor.ie) and Vodafone (website: www.vodafone.ie). Handsets can be hired.

Fax

Facilities are widely available.

Internet

Public access is available free in libraries. Internet cafes exist in nearly every town. ISPs include Ireland On-Line (website: http://home.iol.ie).

Post

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1730/1800, Sat 0900-1300. Sub-post offices close at 1300 1 day a week. The Central Post Office is in O’Connell Street, Dublin.

Press

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

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

Back to Top

Money

Single European currency (Euro): The Euro is now the official currency of 12 EU member states (including Ireland). The first Euro coins and notes were introduced in January 2002; the Irish Punt was completely replaced by the Euro on 9 February 2002. Euro (€) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Currency exchange: Available in banks, airports and in bureaux de change. ATMs are widely available, catering for Cirrus and Mastero symbols.

Credit & debit cards: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are all widely accepted, as well as Eurocheque cards. Check with your credit and debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travellers cheques: Accepted throughout Ireland. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in Euros, Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.

Currency restrictions: There are no restrictions on the import of local and foreign currencies. The export of local currency is restricted to €190.46 and of foreign currency notes up to €634.87 or up to amount imported.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Euro against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Nov ’03 Feb ’04 May ’04 Aug ’04
£1.00= 1.46 1.46 1.50 1.49
$1.00= 0.87 0.85 0.84 0.80

Banking hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1600. In Dublin, banks stay open Thurs until 1700; there are also late opening nights in other parts of the country, but the day will vary.

Back to Top

Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever No No
Cholera No No
Typhoid and Polio No N/A
Malaria No N/A

Health care: There is a reciprocal health agreement with the UK. However, health care in Ireland is not normally free and health insurance is advisable. Local Health Boards arrange consultations with doctors and dentists. Evidence of residence in the UK is required to take advantage of the agreement - for example, an NHS medical card or a driving licence. Visitors should make it clear before treatment that they wish to be treated under the EU’s social security regulations; it may be necessary to complete a simple statement to this effect. Visitors from other EU and EEA member states are entitled to urgent medical treatment without charge, provided that they present form E111, which should be obtained before departure.

Back to Top

Climate

The temperate climate is due to mild southwesterly winds and the Gulf Stream. Summers are warm, while temperatures during winter are much cooler. Spring and autumn are very mild. Rain falls all year.

Required clothing: Lightweights during summer with warmer mediumweights for the winter. Rainwear is advisable throughout the year.

Back to Top

Passport

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British 1 No No
Australian Yes No No
Canadian Yes No No
USA Yes No No
OtherEU 2 No No
Japanese Yes No No

PASSPORTS: Valid passport required by all except:
(a) 1. persons born in the UK travelling direct from the UK (applicable to British passport holders only);
(b) 2. nationals of Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and The Netherlands holding a valid national photo identity card (it is, however, advisable to bring a valid passport).
Note: Whilst UK citizens do not require a passport or visa to enter Ireland, most carriers by air or sea now require some form of identification with photograph, usually a passport or driving license with photo. Visitors are advised to check what form of ID is required with the individual airline, ferry company or travel agent before travelling.

VISAS: Required by all except the following:
(a) nationals of countries referred to in the chart above;
(b) nationals of Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Dependent Territories*, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Israel, Kiribati, Korea (Rep), Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Macau (SAR), Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela and Western Samoa;
(c) transit passengers continuing their journey within 24 hours by the same or first connecting flight provided holding valid onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport. However, the following nationals do require a visa: Afghanistan, Albania, Bulgaria, Cuba, Congo (Dem Rep), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Moldova, Nigeria, Romania, Serbia & Montenegro, Somalia and Sri Lanka.

Note: (a) *Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory (South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands), British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago, Danger Island, Diego Garcia and Peros Banos), British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands & Dependencies, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn (Ducie & Oneno Islands, Henderson), St Helena & Dependencies (Ascension Island, Tristan da Cunha), the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia and Turks & Caicos Islands. (b) Persons holding a Hong Kong Certificate of Identity require an entry visa.

Types of visa and cost: Single-entry: £42. Multiple-entry: £70. Nationals of some countries receive visas free of charge. Enquire at Consulate/Consular Section of Embassy for further details (see Contact Addresses section).

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section for details.

Application requirements: (a) Valid passport. (b) One completed application form. (c) Fee. (d) Letters to substantiate purpose of visit. (e) Three passport-size photos. (f) Letter from place of employment/study.

Working days required: 10.

Back to Top

Cars4Rental - Worldwide Car Hire

Cars 4 Rental Information on Ireland

Car Hire Ireland