What you should know before your Ireland vacation:
A valid US passport is required to visit both the Republic and Northern Ireland. To drive a car, you need also a valid US drivers license.
Pets entering Ireland from North America are quarantined for a peroid of six months. More information on the website Pet Travel Scheme.
per E-mail: pets@ahvg.maff.gsi.gov.uk
per Fax: 0044 20 7904 6834,
address: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1a Page Street, London SW1P 4PQ
Visitiors from the US are eligible to receive a refund of Value Added Tax on goods purchased. The price of the most goods includes value added tax (VAT), so when you are shopping be sure to ask for a tax-free shopping form with each purchase and present these forms, along with your receipts to either 'Global Tax Free Shopping' or 'Tax Back' at the airport prior to your departure. Visitors from the US can take home US$ 400 worth of goods per person including 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, 1 liter of spirits or 2 liters of wine.
The Irish National Health Plan does not cover US visitors. Ask your insurance agent before you travel if your health plan is valid in Ireland.
Time is 5 hours ahead of Eastern time.
The standard of the health care in Ireland is in accordance with the European standard. When you are searching for a doctor or a hospital you can get information in every tourist office. If you want to know where the next doctor or hospital is you can visit the website http://www.oasis.gov.ie/
In the last few years Ireland set up a handicapped accessible tourism. Many Hotels and B&Bs are appropriately equipped.
Discovering Ireland Vacation can give you more information concerning your accommodation, as well as information about Irish heritage sights, for example Dublin Castle which provides special facilities for handicapped.
Many hotels and restaurants add a service charge of around 15% to guests' final invoice. However, this is not universal. When service is not included in your bill, a tip of 15% is appropriate. Taxi drivers should be tipped 10% of the fare and porters about 75 Cents per bag. In Pubs tipping lounge staff is at the customer's discretion.