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Contents

Getting Started ...... 3 Applying for a PPS Number ...... 3 Opening a Bank Account ...... 3 Choosing a Local Mobile Phone Provider ...... 3 Accommodation ...... 4 Utilities ...... 4 Dublin’s Postal Districts ...... 5 Rights and Obligations as a tenant in private rented accommodation ...... 6 Travel ...... 7 ...... 7 Dublin Bikes ...... 7 ...... 8 DART, Suburban and Intercity Rail ...... 9 International Travel ...... 10 Food & Shopping ...... 11 Eating Out ...... 11 Grocery Shopping ...... 11 Retail Shopping ...... 12 Healthcare ...... 13 GPs & Clinics ...... 14 Hospitals ...... 14 Government Related ...... 15 Tax ...... 15 Social Welfare ...... 15 Post / Mail ...... 15 Entertainment, Arts and Culture ...... 16 Cinemas ...... 16 Comedy Clubs ...... 16 Festivals & Events ...... 16 Museums & Galleries ...... 17 Theatres ...... 17 Pubs & Clubs ...... 18 Sports ...... 19 Other Useful Information ...... 21

Microsoft Ireland Page 2 in Ireland

Getting Started

A hundred thousand welcomes to in Ireland! The purpose of this document is to help provide you with information about moving to and living in Dublin which we hope you find useful.

Applying for a PPS Number

Once you arrive in Ireland you must apply for a PPS number. This is a unique reference number that helps you access social welfare benefits, public services and information in Ireland. This number is required in order to be set up on Microsoft’s payroll system.

To apply for you PPS number you must call in to your local registered PPS Number Registration Centre. In Dublin the centre is the Intreo Centre, . You’ll need to bring your passport, other photo ID such as a driving license, and evidence of address such as a household bill in your name. Alternatively, an employer can make an application on your behalf once you have signed a third party consent form.

Opening a Bank Account

To open a bank account in Ireland you must provide a number of documents. These include;  proof of identity (such as a passport or driving license),  a proof of address (such as a utility bill),  or a letter from your employer or stating that you have recently arrived in Ireland and have started work but cannot yet provide evidence of your Irish address.  Some banks may ask for more information such as your PPS number or birth certificate.

Some banks charge quarterly fees while others charge per transition. Use the Consumer Help comparison website to compare banks and decide where you should set up your current account. http://compare.consumerhelp.ie/currentaccount

Choosing a Local Mobile Phone Provider

The main mobile phone operators in Ireland are 3, Meteor, Mobile, Vodafone and o2, each of which have shops located across Dublin.

 Other operators include Lyca Mobile (specialise in international call plans) and 48 months (specialise in low cost plans for younger people), however these operators have no physical shop and offer limited support.

 Shops like Carphone Warehouse sell phones and phone plans from all networks and will offer advice as to which package will suit you the most.

Microsoft Ireland Page 3 in Ireland

Accommodation

Unlike many other European countries, the majority of younger people in Ireland live in a shared residence / apartment. The average price for renting a room in a shared residence in Dublin is between €450 and €700 per month depending on the area in which you choose to live. If you wish to live on your own in a studio apartment, expect to pay €750+ per month for basic accommodation.

Below are a number of websites which will help you find accommodation in Dublin (use the postal district map on the next page to help refine your search. Microsoft’s offices are in Dublin 18.)

www.daft.ie

www.myhome.ie

www.let.ie

www.rent.ie

www.roomster.com

Required Documents

Once you find suitable accommodation the landlord may ask for some documents before allowing you to move in. These include:

 Proof of employment (Available from HR Web, Microsoft’s internal HR site. http://hrweb/ )

 Reference from previous landlord

Take Note

Be wary of entering into a long term rental agreement if you do not intend staying in the accommodation for the duration of the lease. You may run into difficulties retrieving your deposit in this situation.

For free information and advice on your rights as a tenant you can contact Threshold, the National Housing Charity. www.threshold.ie

Utilities

In general, utilities are not included in the price of your rent unless otherwise stated.

To compare which utility providers you should use for Electricity, Gas, TV, Phone and Broadband use the price comparison website www.bonkers.ie or www.uswitch.ie .

Microsoft Ireland Page 4 in Ireland

Dublin’s Postal Districts

Microsoft Ireland Page 5 in Ireland

Rights and Obligations as a tenant in private rented accommodation

Rights

 You are entitled to quiet and exclusive enjoyment of your home

 You are entitled to certain minimum standards of accommodation

 You are entitled to a rent book

 You have the right to contact the landlord or their agent at any reasonable times. You are also entitled to have appropriate contact information (telephone numbers, email addresses, postal addresses, etc.)

 Your landlord is only allowed to enter your home with your permission. If the landlord needs to carry out repairs or inspect the premises, it should be by prior arrangement, except in an emergency

 You are entitled to reimbursement for any repairs that you carry out that are the landlord's responsibility

 You are entitled to have friends to stay overnight or for short periods, unless specifically forbidden in your tenancy agreement. You must tell your landlord if you have an extra person moving in

 You are entitled to a certain amount of notice of the termination of your tenancy

 You are entitled to refer any disputes to the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) without being penalised for doing so

 You have the right to a copy of any register entry held by the PRTB dealing with your tenancy

 All homes for rent must have a Building Energy Rating (BER), stating how energy-efficient the home is. This will help you to make an informed choice when comparing properties to rent.

 Security of tenure.

Obligations

 Pay your rent on time.

 Keep the property in good order.

 Inform the landlord if repairs are needed and give the landlord access to the property to carry out repairs.

 Give the landlord access (by appointment) for routine inspections.

 Inform the landlord of who is living in the property.

 Avoid causing damage or nuisance.

 Make sure that you do not cause the landlord to be in breach of the law.

 Comply with any special terms in your tenancy agreement, verbal or written.

 Give the landlord the information required to register with the PRTB and sign the registration form when asked to do so.

 You should note that it may be more difficult to assert your rights if you have broken conditions of your tenancy.

Microsoft Ireland Page 6 in Ireland

Travel

Dublin is quite a small city compared to most European capitals. It is serviced by a variety of transport options, the most popular being bus, car, and cycling. Microsoft’s offices are located in , Dublin 18, which is a 6km and a 20 minute rail journey from the heart of the city centre. The following are some of the options available for travel in and around the city. A rich resource for information is www.transportforireland.ie.

All public transport options allow you to pay using cash however for discounted fares and greater convenience it is advised that you use a , which is accepted on all forms of public transport. See www.leapcard.ie.

A discounted annual travel pass is also available as a Microsoft Benefit, the details of which can be found here once you have been set up on the Microsoft system.

Bus

Dublin Bus is Dublin's public bus service with routes running throughout the city. Most routes operate from 6am until approximately 11.30pm, with a "Nitelink" bus service running on Friday and Saturday nights from 12am to 4am. The no. 11 bus operates between O’Connell Street in Dublin City Centre and Sandyford Industrial Estate where Microsoft’s offices are based. Timetables and route information can be found on www.dublinbus.ie.

Intercity bus services: www.buseireann.ie.

Dublin Airport transfers: www..ie.

Dublin Bikes

Dublin Bikes is a self-service bike rental system open to everyone from 14 years of age. It enables you to travel through the city centre, commute between home and work and get out and about to enjoy Dublin city at your leisure.

All stations are equipped for Annual Card and 3 Day Ticket users. A number of credit card enabled terminals allow you to purchase a 3 Day Ticket. Once purchased, you can use the 3 Day Ticket similar to the Annual Card to rent or return a bike from any station in the network.

An annual subscription card costs €20 while a 3 day subscription costs €5. The first 30 minutes of use is free on every bike. After this first half-hour, a service charge applies. For more information visit www..ie.

Microsoft Ireland Page 7 in Ireland

LUAS

There are two LUAS lines in Dublin, the runs from St Stephen’s Green (top of ) to Brides Glen in South Dublin. The runs from (North of the Liffey) to in South/West . There are every 3- 6 minutes at peak times and 6-15 minutes off-peak. More information is available at www.luas.ie.

To get to Microsoft, take the green line to Sandyford (building 3 & building 4), or Central Park (building 1 & building 2). There are two trams on the green line, one terminates in Sandyford and one in Brides Glen. You must transfer to a Brides Glen tram to get to the Central Park stop.

Map of LUAS Routes

Microsoft Ireland Page 8 in Ireland

DART, Suburban and Intercity Rail

The DART (Dublin Area Transit) is a quick and easy way to get around Dublin. It runs along the coast of the from or in north County Dublin soutwards as far as , Co Wicklow.

There are also a number of Suburban rail lines which run less frequently. City centre stations include Connelly, Tara Street and Pearse station.

There is also an intercity rail service which runs from Connelly and Heuston station and serves most major cities/towns in Ireland

Information and timetables can be found on www.irishrail.ie.

Map of Rail Routes

Microsoft Ireland Page 9 in Ireland

International Travel

Travelling to from Dublin is straightforward with a number of Airlines flying from Dublin, , Shannon and to Mainland Europe. The two main airlines are (www.ryanair.com) and (www.aerlingus.com).

Microsoft Ireland Page 10 in Ireland

Food & Shopping

Eating Out

Of all of the transformations in Dublin in recent decades, none has been as dramatic as how Dubliners deal with food. Gone are the days when food was nothing more than a biological necessity to be endured. The city is now full of all kinds of eateries to suit every taste and budget.

For a full list of restaurants: http://lovindublin.com/restaurants

www.menupages.ie/Dublin

http://dineindublin.ie/restaurant-search/

Grocery Shopping

The larger are mainly located on the outskirts of the city. The main chains in Dublin are Tesco, and Super Valu. Discount supermarkets such as and tend to be cheaper and are present in the city centre and in some locations on the outskirts. There are smaller , and convenience stores all over town, serving residential areas. Convenience stores are more expensive than the other shopping options but are usually only a short walk away and often open late.

Supermarkets

Tesco http://www.tesco.ie/

Dunnes Stores http://www.dunnesstores.com/

Marks & Spencer’s (Upmarket Ready-made meals) http://www.marksandspencer.ie/

SuperValu http://supervalu.ie/

Lidl www.lidl.ie

Aldi https://www.aldi.ie/

Convenience Stores

Londis http://www.londis.ie/

Centra http://centra.ie/

Spar http://www.spar.ie/

Other

Asia Market http://www.asiamarket.ie/

Microsoft Ireland Page 11 in Ireland

Retail Shopping

Generally opening times range from 9 or 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, and from 12 to 6pm on Sunday

Department Stores

Pennys: inexpensive clothes, shoes and home ware

Dunnes Stores: inexpensive clothes, shoes and home ware

Carroll's Gifts & Souvenirs: Irish souvenirs for tourists

Avoca (Suffolk Street): one of the world's oldest surviving manufacturing companies.

Shopping Areas

Grafton Street: Dublin’s main shopping street. You will find fashion boutiques, shoe stores, jewellery stores, etc.

Henry Street: another primary shopping location.

Nassau St: traditional Irish gifts.

Francis Street: art and antiques.

Shopping Centres

Dundrum Town Centre

St Stephen’s Green Centre

ILAC Centre Dublin

Jervis Centre

(St Stephens Green Shopping Centre)

Microsoft Ireland Page 12 in Ireland

Healthcare

Healthcare in Ireland is a two-tier system with public and private options. The public tier is run by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and all persons resident in Ireland are entitled to receive health care through the HSE. A person may be required to pay a subsidised fee for certain health care received; this depends on income, age, illness or disability. All maternity services and child care up to the age of six months are provided free of charge.

Emergency care is provided at a cost of €100 for a visit to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department while consultation fees with GPs (General Practitioners) range from €40-€60. In order to see a specialist consultant, you will need a referral from your GP or A&E doctor.

It is possible to claim tax back on most medical bills so retain any medical related receipts for this purpose. There are also a number of government schemes such as the drugs payment scheme and long-term illness scheme which can help you reduce medical bills.

European Health Insurance Card

If you are a European citizen ensure you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to avoid unnecessary medical bills. Without this, or an Irish Health Insurance Card, you will be considered a private patient and thus will have to pay for the service you receive.

Private Health Insurance

There are a number of advantages to having private health insurance in Ireland. These include covering costs of private and semi-private hospital accommodation, covering costs for in-hospital consultant services as a private patient, bypassing public waiting lists and other benefits in areas such as maternity, overseas, psychiatric and outpatient procedures.

Microsoft offers heavily discounted private health insurance cover to all of its Full Time Employees. More information is available on the internal HR Web site when you join.

See here for a list of healthcare services provided by the HSE, including the details and locations of hospitals, doctors, dentists etc.

Microsoft Ireland Page 13 in Ireland

GPs & Clinics

Local doctors (GPs): www.sandyford.com/listing.aspx?id=152 www.whatclinic.com/doctors/ireland/county-dublin/dublin/sandyford

Well Woman Centre www.wellwomancentre.ie

Every Man Centre http://everymancentre.ie/

Hospitals

Public Hospitals

Beamunt Hospital - Beaumont Rd, Beaumont, Dublin 9 www.beaumont.ie (01) 809 3000

Coombe Women & Infants Hospital - Cork St, Dublin 8 www.coombe.ie (01) 408 5200

Mater Misericordiae Hospital - Eccles St, , Dublin 7 www.mater.ie (01) 803 2000

The National Maternity Hospital, Holles St. www.nmh.ie (01) 637 3100

Our Lady's Children's Hospital - Cooley Rd, Crumlin, Dublin 12 www.olchc.ie (01) 409 6100

Rotunda Hospital - W, Dublin 1 www.rotunda.ie (01) 817 1700

Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital - Adelaide Road www.rveeh.ie (01) 664 4600

St Jame's Hospital - James's St, Dublin 8 www.stjames.ie (01) 410 3000

St Vincent's University Hospital - Elm Park, Merrion Rd, www.stvincents.ie (01) 221 4000

St Vincent's Hospital - Richmond Road, Fairview, Dublin 3 www.svhf.ie (01) 8842400

Private Hospitals

Beacon Hospital - Beacon Court, Sandyford, Dublin 18 www.beaconhospital.ie (01) 293 6600

Mater Private Hospital - 7 Eccles St, Dublin 7 www.materprivate.ie (01) 885 8888

Sports Surgery clinic - Demense, Santry, Dublin 9 www.sportssurgeryclinic.com (01) 526 2000

St John of God Hospital - www.stjohnofgodhospital.ie (01) 277 1400

Patrick's Hospital - James St, Dublin 8 www.stpatricks.ie (01) 249 3333

St Vincent's Private Hospital - Merrion Rd, Dublin 4 www.svph.biz (01) 263 8000

Microsoft Ireland Page 14 in Ireland

Government Related

Tax

To determine your estimated tax rate and take-home pay in Ireland, go to the link below and enter in your base salary (including the car allowance amount): http://www.deloitte.ie/tc/

To avoid paying emergency tax, when you start work for the first time you must fill out a 12A form (Application for a Certificate of Tax Credits and Standard Rate Cut-Off Point) and send it to your tax office. You will then receive a Certificate of Tax Credits and Standard Rate Cut-Off Point. You must have your PPS number in order to fill out this form.

For a simple guide to the Irish tax system please visit: http://www.revenue.ie/en/personal/circumstances/moving/index.html

For more information on tax and payroll please visit the link below once you have been set up on the Microsoft’s HR system. http://hrweb/Ireland/PayrollTaxes/Info/Tax+and+Payroll+FAQ.htm

Lastly, keep in mind that any tax certificates you get expire each calendar year and will not be renewed unless you contact www.revenue.ie . This can be done online by registering via www.paye.ie

Social Welfare

For information on social welfare in Ireland visit: http://www.welfare.ie/

Post / Mail

The postal service in Ireland is operated by ‘An Post’. Stamped mail can be put into letter boxes throughout the country or in post offices ‘Oifig an Phoist’. Post boxes are green and are emptied several times per day.

Stamps are readily available in post offices and also in some local convenience stores.

Opening hours are normally 09.00 to 17.30 Monday to Friday and 09.00 to 13.00 on Saturday.

The GPO (General Post Office) in O’Connell Street is open until 20.00 Mo-Fri and is also open on Sunday: 01 8726666

The post office offers a wide range of services from stamps to bill paying, television and pet licenses

For more information: www.anpost.ie

Microsoft Ireland Page 15 in Ireland

Entertainment, Arts and Culture

The Irish love to entertain and be entertained which makes Dublin one of the liveliest cities in Europe. Each night, live music is played in bars, pubs and restaurants. Festivals and events take place at all times of the year and there is much to do to entertain yourself.

Cinemas

Cineworld - Parnell Street (€20 Monthly Membership available) www.cineworld.ie

Irish Film Institute - Eustace Street, Temple Bar www.ifi.ie

Lighthouse Smithfield – Smithfield www.lighthousecinema.ie

Movies @ Dundrum - www.movies-at.ie/

Odeon Cinemas www.odeoncinemas.ie

The Savoy - Upper O’Connell Street www.savoy.ie

Vue - Shopping Centre www.vue.ie

Comedy Clubs

Anseo www..com/anseo.camdenstreet

Capital Comedy Club www.capitalcomedyclub.com

The International www.theinternationalcomedyclub.com

The Laughter Lounge www.laughterlounge.com

Festivals & Events

www.dublineventguide.com

www.dublinpride.ie

www.entertainment.ie/festivals

www.happenings.ie/dublin

www.meetup.com

www.stpatricksfestival.ie

www.visitdublin.com/see_and_do/events/Festivals

www.whatsonin.ie/dublin/events

Microsoft Ireland Page 16 in Ireland

Museums & Galleries

Dublin is steeped in history with countless museums and galleries showcasing different aspects of our past and current culture. A good website to find a museum of interest is www.visitdublin.com where you will find a list of all Museums in the capital. Alternatively, some of well-known museums are listed below.

Dublin Castle – , Dublin 2 www.dublincastle.ie

Dublin Writers Museum – Parnell Square, Dublin 1 www.writersmuseum.com

Guinness storehouse – St. Jame’s Gate, Dublin 8 www.guinness-storehouse.com

National Gallery of Ireland – , Dublin 2 www.nationalgallery.ie

Natural History Museum (The Dead Zoo) – Merrion St., Dublin 2 www.museum.ie

The Little Museum of Dublin – St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 www.littlemuseum.ie

Theatres

Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.ie/) has a good search engine which allows you to see what is on where. Alternatively, the national papers will advertise upcoming concerts and plays.

Abbey & Peacock Theatres www.abbeytheatre.ie 01 8787222

Andrews Lane Theatre www.andrewslane.com 01 6795720

Gaiety Theatre www.gaietytheatre.net 01 6771717

Gate Theatre www.gate-theatre.ie 01 8744045

Lambert Puppet Theatre www.lambertpuppettheatre.com 01 2800974

Opera Ireland www.operaireland.com 01 4535519

The Theatre www.grandcanaltheatre.ie 01 677 7999

The Mill Theatre, Dundrum www.milltheatre.com 01 2969340

The National Concert Hall www.nch.ie 01 6711533

The O2 www.theo2.ie 01 819 8888

The Olympia Theatre www.mcd.ie/venues/?c=olympiatheatre 01 6777744

Vicar Street www.vicarstreet.com 01 77 55 800

Microsoft Ireland Page 17 in Ireland

Pubs & Clubs

Traditional Irish Pubs

Bull & Castle - massive www.bull-and-castle.fxbuckley.ie

Flannery’s – hen/stag galore www.flannerysdublin.com

Grogans – extraordinarily old www.groganspub.ie

Hogan’s – perfect spot to meet for a pint www.kellysdublin.com

Kehoe’s – really old, tiny ladies’ toilets www.louisfitzgerald.com/kehoes

The Bar with No Name – It really doesn’t have a name www.kellysdublin.com

The Stag’s Head – really old, lots of atmosphere www.louisfitzgerald.com/stagshead

Upmarket Pubs

Baggott Inn – pull your own pint www.thebaggotinn.ie

Café en Seine – great for a late night bar/dance www.cafeenseine.ie

Dakota – high ceilings www.dakotabar.ie

Ely HQ – couches, dim lighting http://www.elywinebar.ie

Shelbourne Bar – lovely décor, great cocktails www.shelbournedining.ie/horseshoe-bar

Vintage cocktail Club – Over 23’s, booking necessary www.vintagecocktailclub.com

Nightclubs

Bruxelles – rock and metal in the basement www.bruxelles.ie

Diceys – cheap midweek drinks www.publin.ie/2011/diceys-garden

DTwo – large beer garden www.dtwonightclub.com

Copper Face Jacks (Coppers) – very popular, late opening www.copperfacejacks.ie

Everleigh Garden – large smoking area www.everleighgarden.com

Howl at the Moon – open on Fridays and Saturdays www.howlatthemoon.ie

Opium – good crowd and cocktails www.opium.ie

Pygmalion – cosy atmosphere www.pyg.ie

The Grand Social – good for indie music www.thegrandsocial.ie

Microsoft Ireland Page 18 in Ireland

Sports

Ireland had a wide range of sporting activities to offer, it’s a great way to keep active and meet new people. Some of the most popular sports in Ireland include the GAA (Football and ), Soccer, Rugby, Cycling, Athletics and Golf.

Most of the major GAA games are help in Croke Park on Dublin’s North side with tickets available on GAA.ie or Tickets.ie. All of Ireland’s international soccer and rugby games are held at the which is based on the South side, tickets for these games are available at ticketmaster.ie.

(Croke Park) (Aviva Stadium)

Local Sports Clubs – Get involved!

Athletics

Dundrum AC www.dsdac.com

Cricket

For a list of cricket clubs visit: www.cricketleinster.ie/clubs

Cycling

St. Tiernans CC www.sttiernanscc.com

Orwell Wheelers www.orwellwheelers.org

GAA

Kilmacud Crokes www.kilmacudcrokes.com

Naomh Olaf www.naomholaf.ie

Golf

For a list of golf clubs visit: www.golfdublin.com

Microsoft Ireland Page 19 in Ireland

Gyms

Ben Dunne Sandyford www.bendunnegyms.com/sandyford.aspx

Ben Dunne Jervis www.bendunnegyms.com/jervisstreet.aspx

Westwood www.westwood.ie

Rugby

Old Belvedere www.oldbelvedere.ie

St. Mary’s RFC www.stmaryscollegerfc.com

Tallaght RFC www.tallaghtrugby.com

Soccer

Balally Celtic FC http://www.soccer-ireland.com/dublin- football-clubs/balally-celtic.htm

Dundrum FC www.dundrumfc.ie

ST Pats FC www.stpatsfc.com

Swimming

Glenalbyn Swimming Club www.glenalbynswimclub.com

Templeogue Swimming Club www.teamtsc.net

Trojan Swim Club www.trojanswimclub.ie

(Cycling in Dublin / )

Microsoft Ireland Page 20 in Ireland

Other Useful Information

Useful Numbers

Emergency Services: 112 / 999

Dundrum Garda Station +353 1 666 5600

Microsoft Ireland Main Switchboard +353 1 295 3826

Microsoft Ireland Reception (Building 1) +353 1 706 5200

Microsoft Ireland Reception (Building 2) +353 1 706 6200

Microsoft Ireland Reception (Building 3) +353 1 706 4099

Useful Websites

Boards – Bulletin Board www.boards.ie

Citizens Information www.citizensinformation.ie/en/

Consumer Rights www.consumerhelp.ie/

Done Deal – Classified Ads www.donedeal.ie

Embassy Directory www.embassyworld.com

RTE News www.rte.ie

Useful Apps

Dublin Airport – arrival and departure information

Dublin Bus – timetables and real time bus information

Hailo – taxi app

Irish Rail – timetables and real time train information

LUAS – timetables and real time LUAS information

MSN News - news application which pulls stories from a number of local Irish papers

Uber – taxi app

Microsoft Ireland Page 21