Rain, rain, we go away ...for good

Six in ten emigrants leave Ireland because of climate

IRELAND may have basked in a heatwave during our glorious summer, but emigrants have cited rain and lack of sunlight as major reasons for leaving the country.

According to a new study, nearly six in ten (57%) emigrants have cited climate as one of the main causes for their departure. The figure comes from the InterNations Expat Insider 2018 Survey.

Irish emigrants are also more likely to stay permanently in their adopted countries than most other nationalities. Some 37% said they could ‘possibly imagine staying forever’ in their new country compared to the global average of 32%.

Immigrants into Ireland seem less happy with their new lives, according to the same survey of 18,000 expats. Ireland was ranked a disappointing 43rd out of 68 countries in the study, with immigrants increasingly struggling with their finances and complaining about the ‘unaffordability of life in general’.

With 3.2million members in 420 cities around the world, Munichbased InterNations is the largest information site for people who live and work abroad.

And, as if to add weight to our emigrants’ dislike of the Irish climate, the bad news is that summer is truly over as cool temperatures and rain are forecasted for this week.

Most parts of the country will have rain today as clouds coming in from the Atlantic bring light rain, with heavy downpours in Munster this morning. Temperatures will be as low as 10C today in many parts of the country.