This service is great, especially for foreigners who don't know their way around Irish government…read moreservices. The staff were extremely helpful in explaining the process of applying for grants and applying at colleges to me and printed off lots of information and told me where to go for more information. Funnily enough not a lot of people seem to know about this service, but they have a lot of information on government benefits and processes. You might have to wait for a short while though because it can get quite busy.

Looking for a pine table and chair set? Radiator? Microwave? Old typewriter?…read more Well, why go out and spend your money like a chump when these items and loads of other stuff can be had for free on the Dublin Waste website? Just type "Dublin waste free trade" into Google and have a browse. The Dublin Waste website is a little better than the Dublin section on Freecycle.org, which is a great idea, don't get me wrong, but at the moment a lot of posts seem to be for items wanted rather than items offered. Sign of the times, I suppose. So if you want to reduce our collective carbon footprint while easing the pressure on Dublin's waste management infrastructure, log on now and have a ball. You may even pick up that set of speaker brackets that you desperately require.

Taxes are something that confuse me. It's especially confusing since I just moved to Dublin a few…read moremonth ago from Canada, on a working holiday visa. But I did find out that I'd need to get a tax certificate in order to not have to pay an emergency tax of 41%, which would be awful. And I needed one anyone. Plus if you're looking to open a bank account and don't have a utility bill in your name (because you sublet) then a tax credit certificate is one of the only proofs of address that a bank will accept. To get your tax credit certificate you need a PPS number, which is easy enough to obtain (see my review for the PPSN Registration Centre here: http://bit.ly/2f11be7). I went in because I thought I had to fill out a form in person, but one of the employers came up and asked if I needed help. When I explained I need to fill out the form for the tax credit certificate he said that was all done online. He explained how to set up an account on line, and where to go to get that done. Registering online gets you your PAYE information for paying taxes too, which is important (I guess). So I went online, signed up for an account. When you first register you won't be able to fill out the tax credit information right away because you'll need to wait for a temporary pin number to arrive in the mail. When it arrives you can log into your account, change your password, and then fill out the information you need. For the tax credit certificate I was told it would arrive within the week,. A week came and went, and no certificate. I waited a few more days, but was starting to get worried. What if my tax credit certificate went to the wrong address? What if it got stuck in limbo land? So I went back to the Revenue Office to make sure everything was okay. The man I talked to was very friendly. He double checked that I had the right address (I did) and saw that it was in the system as having been sent out. He said if it didn't arrive by the following week to come in again. Luckily it did arrive within a couple days. I was able to get a bank account with my proof of address on the tax credit certificate and best of all I didn't have to pay emergency tax. While it took a while to do and there wait time was longer than expected it wasn't too bad. The staff were friendly and answered all the questions I had. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions when it's time for me to file my taxes.

I'm still having difficulty to believe that I have just 1) sat down and written a review for the…read moreInland Revenue 2) given them a five star rating. Generally, each country I travel to in the world, seems to become more and more awkward when it comes to governmental departments. It normally goes like this; Emily: Hi I'd like to speak to xyz about xyz Government Dep: This is a recording. You will never get to speak to a human no matter how hard you try Emily: What if I try one of the other four numbers? GD: You will have to wait in line for at least 27 minutes on each number. Then you will most likely be kicked out Emily: I'm prepared to put the graft in, I just really want to get this sorted GD: Fine. Just know that when you have wasted three and a half hours of your time, whoever picks up will be just as uninterested and unhelpful as this recording Emily: I'm prepared for that, once I get the correct form at the end of it all GD: You will eventually get the correct form, but it will mean filling out 13 other forms first in other to achieve this. In trying to get my PAYE sorted, I put it off and put it off until I could no longer put it off any more. I took a deep breath, a glass of wine (for calmage purposes) and called the Inland Revenue. I had to make one choice on the touchpad, then I was put through to a real person after three minutes. The conversation went like this: Emily: Hi I'd like to speak to xyz about xyz Inland Revenue: Sure, what are your details Emily: My details are xyz IR: That's all sorted for you now. Emily: (after falling off chair) Are you sure? Don't you need me to do anything else?! Anything at all? You're sure it's sorted? IR: Absolutely, all done, can I help you with anything else? Emily: No forms?! NO FORMS?!!! That's IT?!! ARE YOU SURE?!!| IR: I am sure. WOW. Amazing. I was all sorted in less than five minutes. Bravo Inland Revenue. You are my heroes amongst the black cloud brigade of red tape madness.

very helpful and ur seen to very quick and they do the best they can great workers and the security…read moreguard at the door is so kind and very helpful.

The National Archives is in the old Jacob's Biscuit Factory, which was occupied by the rebel forces…read moreduring the Easter Rising in 1916. Unfortunately, a lot of records were destroyed in the Four Courts during 1922, but for all papers related to Governmental Departments, et al. They offer free Genealogical Services, which is great for people who don't know their way around the archives/ what exactly they're looking for. They've also put the Census of 1911 online, so now it can be accessed from anywhere in the world. The archives are quite disorganised when you're actually in there and I've gone in several times and located files that I wanted to look at and the files were nowhere to be found. Also the archives don't have their catalogue digitised so you have to search through different finding aids to locate the files that are of use. They do have a bit of a search engine on their website, but it is limited in the results it returns/ the search criteria you can set.

If you have never been here before you need a readers ticket just take along some photo ID and a…read morehouse bill and this can be sorted quite quickly. This is a great place for research and also genealogy. Although there is so much info here it can be difficult to find so go to the genealogy room first for advice first. Going to the NA is a little like going to a dress shop and telling them what you want and they bring one dress out at a time and ask if this is what you like! They could do with a few floating helpers as it would speed up your time for finding what you need. Some of the workers there are helpful some just point or refer you to someone else - which could be improved upon. I am one of these people who when given directions to find things can never find them - 'You cannot miss it' is a kiss of death to me! I am however a great map reader and there is no map in this place! Still it is all we have so I have to be a fan.

Having been married myself in a registry office I had certain expectations. .. The office in…read morewexford was little basic - to say the least. It was like a doctors surgery right down to having the sink in the corner; romantic it definitely wasn't! So, I was very pleasantly surprised to walk into a really nicely finished room in theatre style with a wooden panelled back drop and plush carpets, it very much added to the sense of occasion, it was perfect in fact. Parking is the only issue you will have for this venue, so arrive early; you'll have to hunt for parking then for a parking meter and then for change - if you are not properly prepared it could seriously cramp your day!

I got married here! Yay!…read more It was a wonderful experience I must say. The registrar was a really nice guy, whose name escapes me now. But he was jolly and happy, all the while explaining the technicalities with the right amount of seriousness. The ceremony was fun, serious, nerve racking and happy all at the same time. The room itself is like a little auditorium with plenty of room for a big posse to help you celebrate. I'd agree with Quentin, parking can be difficult here so either walk or get a taxi.

If you have just arrived in Dublin, you cannot have failed to notice the two horrific chimneys that…read moredominate the skyline. The big red and white ones, you know the ones I'm talking about. These would be the cooling towers of Ringsend's Poolbeg Generating Station, better known by the name of the power station that formerly occupied the site, the Pigeon House. The Poolbeg chimneys are the tallest structures in Dublin, and are visible from most of the city. While not exactly aesthetically pleasing in any obvious sense, the chimneys are quite cool in a type of post-apocalyptic way. And if that's your thing, you should head down to Dublin Port, just turn left past the East-Link bridge, and see them closer up: there's loads of scrap yards and derelict buildings, it would be a great location for another Mad Max film. Even though I don't find them particularly pleasing to the eye, nor do I even notice them most of the time, if I am ever returning to Dublin after any length of time and I see the Pigeon House towers on the horizon, I get a little choked up. Then I feel a little disgusted by their monstrous incongruity. But then I get a little sad again. It's confusing.

The Poolbeg Generating Station is most often referred to as the Pigeon House. Don't let the name…read morefool you: these two stripped cylinders don't house pigeons. Instead they were named after the man who built them. Once affiliated with military barracks, it is now a generating system. Everyone in Dublin is familiar with this famous landmark because it is one of the tallest structures in the city. It's one of the most noticeable and will be the first thing you see as you come in Dublin Port. Not the most beautiful sight, it is located beside coastal nature trails in Ringsend. Most people will only come close to it if they are out for a hike.

30p, that's all I used to need to get my lunch in here, a big roll and a packet of chickatees, one…read moretasty chickatee roll coming up! Okay I was in the local secondary school and crisp sandwiches were really popular in those times, I remember some girls even using their bus fare too get this lovely lunch. I suppose you would need to walk home and get the exercise if you ate that many crisp sandwiches! Anyway, Lynam's is the local newsagent/ convenience store for the local school and the locals around Lower Goatstown. It has all the usual things a newsagent has but this one is special because it also has a post office! Yes, that's right this shop has that very Irish multifunction thing going on and very handy it is too!

I believe their Banana Bread is really really good.. OK OK, I gave them the recipe, but its still…read moretrue :) I've tried their in house freshly baked pizza and it was delicious. There was roasted butternut squash, feta and caramelised onion on it. Their breakfast pizza was pretty impressive too. If Lynams keep on this track, they'll be the Mortons or Donnybrook Fair of Goatstown. The shop also doubles as a post office which is always a bonus. We went away with a nice Chablis and Fleurie, both of which were lovely wines. The area is lucky to have Lynams, it's not your average newsagent.