Has the new year got you thinking about making a move back to Ireland? If so and you have children, you’ll want to do as much pre-planning as possible. We’ve put together this list of useful information to make things easier for you. If you have any questions, or you need more information, just get in touch.

Passports

It’s always a good idea to apply for your child’s Irish passport before you return. See here for details on how to do this: www.dfa.ie/passports-citizenship/

Personal Public Services Numbers (PPSNs)

If your child was born outside of Ireland, you will need to apply for a PPSN for them when you return. They will need this to access public services and attend school. You can make an appointment online prior to your return. You will need an Irish address and certain other documentation to apply. See here for more information.

Child Benefit

This universal payment is available to most parents regardless of income. However, you do need to satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition (HRC) in order to qualify. Find out more here.

GP Visit Cards

All children under 6 are eligible for GP visit cards so they can see their doctor free of charge. Here‘s what you need to know.

Childcare

In general, childcare can be expensive. A new affordable childcare scheme was introduced this year to make it more accessible to families. For more information on childcare options, see here.

School

School places are always in high demand so it’s a good idea to start contacting schools in the area you plan to live in well before you return. You’ll find lots of information on schooling in Ireland on www.education.ie and www.schooldays.ie.

For more information on returning to Ireland, read this.

[Image by Pink Sherbet Photography from USA (JJ’s Beautiful Mess free creative commons) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons]