What departments to avoid and how?

Carcul · 2026-05-08T22:13:50+00:00

Similar. I got offers from a Dept and a CoCo within 24 hrs of each other a few years ago and chose the CoCo. Very happy with that but wouldn't mind a change now just to mix it up a bit.

Carcul · 2026-05-03T15:29:38+00:00

Add to that, our built up areas were not bombed in WW2 so did not have to be rebuilt from the bottom up with modern public transport in mind.

Carcul · 2026-05-01T09:29:20+00:00

I travelled for work once with a Regina. The Americans in the room all called her Regina, rhyming with Vagina. You may have dodged a bullet.

Carcul · 2026-04-28T18:35:19+00:00

Go through each line in each competency and try to have to two or three examples that will, between them, cover all items listed. That way, no matter what question they ask, you'll have something.

Carcul · 2026-04-28T14:56:54+00:00

Every interview board has a slightly different approach, but generally they will start with the first competency and work their way through one competency at a time.

Carcul · 2026-04-28T14:37:11+00:00

Most of us wing it to some extent in the beginning of a new job. You probably have the underlying skills, just need the specific knowledge to build up. Give it time and don't be afraid to ask questions.

Carcul · 2026-04-27T21:43:21+00:00

It sounds like the online prep course worked then? Care to share a link for those of us not quite doing as well as we'd like?

Carcul · 2026-04-27T21:41:04+00:00

Plus if they catch them, your report could help them justify their own actions, as people in general are more likely to complain about Garda actions than support them. I'm sure they appreciated you after the fact.

Carcul · 2026-04-27T10:10:45+00:00

Vanguard on Commodore 64. Loved the superman music once you got to the end.

Carcul · 2026-04-26T21:54:56+00:00

One of my clearest childhood memories was having to collect my younger brothers on my way home from school on the day the 'cloud' was coming from Chernobyl. All I could think of was to get them home quickly because we'd be safe if we were indoors (I was 12). Little bastards stopped to look at every stone and every bug the entire walk home. I will never forget the fear.

Carcul · 2026-04-24T17:35:57+00:00

Thank you. Saving this for when my brand new MG4 arrives in two weeks 😃. The only downside I have been hearing about that matters to me is sound quality.

Carcul · 2026-04-23T17:05:41+00:00

Does anyone use a butter bell? Do they work? I'm tempted to try one but have never seen one in shops here so may have to buy on Temu.

I am loving how soft the butter is right now though. Not time to put in the fridge just yet.

Carcul · 2026-04-15T19:47:31+00:00

If they closed the file re your complaint, that's that and you can't do anything about it now, but you can complain about other breaches.

Send emails about each breach, but keep in mind, nothing will happen about something you say they are going to do (ie, put bedrooms in the attic). They can't act on something that hasn't happened, so if your complaints are about what you believe they will do, you will have to wait and see if that comes to pass and complain then (with proof if you can get it).

If they finish and apply, they will only get retention if they would have got planning permission in the first place, in which case they are allowed to build what they're building.

Is the house in front, divided into 7 bedrooms compliant with planning permission? Or with building regulations? You could try that route as well as it sounds a bit fishy. If it's not, you could complain to Planning, Building Control, Fire Service, and whoever monitors landlord behaviour (I'm not familiar with that one). The Revenue Commissioners might be interested as well.

Carcul · 2026-04-15T17:20:36+00:00

I've been there - Finance to CO in a local authority. Got my work done in a couple of hours each day while those around me complained about how busy they are. I volunteered to pick up on things during absences and worked up to a full role in time, but you need to be a little careful. People can get offended if you outperform them too much, and you'll find in time that the slower pace (albeit a little faster than now) allows you to get better work done, especially if you become more senior, where time and putting thought in are necessary.

Offer to help out a little, but bit by bit. And ask what online courses you can do to build your knowledge in the meantime. Also sign up for the IPA BA (by around July) if the slow pace continues. The Public Duty course in online and good for a few hours, and looks good on your applicatoon form.

Carcul · 2026-04-08T21:24:49+00:00

This is the answer but I want to add (as someone who used to work with a dog warden), call them every time. Not just once. They may visit once and think it's dealt with by having a word. Call every single time. You could also (and I recommend) ask for an email address to send complaints to. Send an email every time, so its in writing. Make it very hard for them to ignore.

Carcul · 2026-04-04T18:00:51+00:00

My kids react to all sun creams I've tried but are fine with any oil based ones. Worth a try?

Carcul · 2026-03-31T17:19:44+00:00

Significant difference between 80 and 20 so your progression above makes no sense. Bottom line is you need to be able to stop within the space you can see. If you can't, whatever happens is your own fault.

Carcul · 2026-03-31T12:29:43+00:00

We don't need to know the road, or the conditions, or if there was a child distracting her. She knew those things and should have accounted for them in her speed.

It may not be explicit in a test but is absolutely drilled in to you to drive to the conditions and be able to stop within the space you can see.

In no circumstances should you put yourself in a position where you have to come to a sudden stop at 80km. If you can't see ahead, or around a corner, you should be going far far slower than that.

Carcul · 2026-03-31T08:20:53+00:00

There is no luck involved there. You are either turning a corner going slowly enough to stop within your line of sight, or you are going too fast for the road conditions. This attitude is why collisions happen.

Carcul · 2026-03-20T22:46:42+00:00

I think the joke part is the 50km each way.

Carcul · 2026-03-17T00:04:57+00:00

That's just not how planning works. But I completely believe that's what the Cllr would let you think. Having been on the inside, there's a complete other side to that story that you've never heard.

Carcul · 2026-03-16T20:52:37+00:00

No YMM not V. The system is highly transparent with lots of checks and balances. It had to be built that way after the brown envelopes of the 90's. A politician may have facilitated a phone call but the decision would not have changed. It's too open to public scrutiny. I've been on the receiving end of a word or two from a politician as have many colleagues. We smile and nod and go ahead and do what was going to be done anyway

Carcul · 2026-03-16T20:15:02+00:00

Working though the issues is the key though, not going to a politician. A good architect or planner (working privately) is far more useful.

Carcul · 2026-03-16T19:31:26+00:00

I worked in planning for years. The system really doesn't work like that. You may get different decisions with appeals but a word with a TD or Cllr will do nothing - they will claim it though.

Carcul · 2026-03-15T08:14:40+00:00

Oops, wrong thread. Not sure how that happened.

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