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.

There really isn't a time when giving in aid of the world's children isn't a good idea. Right now,…read moreUnicef is working hard to ensure the safety and well being of thousands of Haitian families and children still waiting for basic supplies for survival. It's time to get your shopping bag out. The toys and early learning resources for sale at the front of Unicef's Dublin HQ just scratch the surface of ways you can take part in this charity's work in Haiti and around the world. If you don't have a little person to buy for, take a few extra steps to the front desk and the good staff will be happy to help you help the world - even a little bit.

I m going for help to see my grandson n advices by FLAC I have rights! I done nothing wrong! She…read morelived with me all life with new baby n changed! N I haven't seen him since his first birthday which wasn't invited no pics but she came to get all his presents! N clothes n meant to video me singing happy birthday n didnt n took foto of our feet! She's that cruel! No one but me has ever seen baby in our family but me! I supported her all way thru n changed house for her and baby n gave my room up since pregnant cause trying to keep her happy cause bed wasn't comfortable start of pregnancy! N left me with all her crap she didn't want to take a room full of crap! Bed I bought everything! But took what she needed! N for her place all stuff I had new for our home! Doesn't FaceTime nothing! I be Tuesday please god I get to see him soon! Like I'm grieving my grandson cause her shit! It's horrible! Xxx

I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of the Revenue Department. Not just because they…read moretake my valuable, hard earned money through some sort of crazy legal theft they called 'taxes', but because they they just can't seem to get anything right! I called them over the phone and faxed them information several times only to have them tell me they either never received my claim back for my emergency taxes or when they finally did get what I sent them they sent me forms with a completely different name. I mean come on people I have a simple enough name and I spelled it out for you what's the big problem?!? Anyways, then one day a friend suggested that I actually go IN to the revenue office and that there was a big one off O'Connell Street. I'm glad I did because these people can't pretend that you were never there! The place has got tons of windows and a very good system in place for your wait. You go in and take a number and if it says that the wait is going to be a certain amount of time, they'll give you the expected number and then you can have them text your mobile when it's almost time for your number to be called. It was perfect I was able to run over to the post office and send off some stuff before I got the text telling me to come back! Once there they weren't necessarily the friendliest or most helpful bunch, but at least all my forms were filled out and everything done correctly, which is a lot more than I can say when I rang them over the phone!

Iarr mé ar sheirbhís trí Ghaeilge le mo chuid pasanna a fháil inniu, ach ní raibh aon dhuine líofa…read morei nGaeilge ar fáil. Tá sé díomách nach bhfuil an tseirbhís atá dleathach agus molta ag an Oifig seo á cur ar fáil acu. Ba mhaith liom go mbeadh foireann Gaeilge-labhairt ar fáil don chéad chuairt eile, mar is ceart dúinn seirbhís chomh maith trí Ghaeilge.

Absolute sham of a service, disgusted with not only the quality and waiting time but also with the…read morecustomer service agents. I applied for my baby's passport in November to still be left waiting now in January. I am going to be missing my flights and losing the money for it with no refund. Documents not even scanned and customer service blatantly lying each time I have called. To be told one week that documents are being verified and the next week being told they havent even been scanned or assigned a checker yet. Anyone who can, should avoid this altogether and stick to a passport from their country of origin, the blatant racism and disregard for people's time and money is awful! Shame on the Irish passport service!