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On Tuesday 14 February, the Irish government announced the closure of the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP). IIP applications via approved projects may be granted a grace period of three months to submit the finalised application. Any interest in IIP is the last chance and would have to apply on an urgent and immediate basis or the programme will no longer be available. Contact us now.

Month: September 2020

Stoneybatter – Dublin’s Hippest Neighbourhood 

Posted on by bwa

Bartra making a mark in this inner-city village

A Vibrant Community

Filled with laid-back cafes and edgy restaurants, Stoneybatter is known by locals and tourists as Dublin’s edgy neighborhood. Imagine a vibe similar to Sheung Wan in Hong Kong, the community blends young families, students (particularly from the Grangegorman DIT campus, which is just around 600 meters away), and older residents, where they’d mingle over some steaming coffee or a relaxing pint of plain. Stoneybatter has beat out Hong Kong, Budapest, and Prague, ranking as one of the world’s 50 coolest neighbourhoods by Time Out magazine. Described as “one of the most central places” in the city “where young people can still afford to live (just), and the neighbourhood pride is strong”, this close-knit area is a heartful location unique to Dublin and Ireland, if not to the world. 

nothingness vision Dublin

Image Credit: Nothingness Vision | Photo of Dublin

Experience Dublin like a Local

Stoneybatter has something for everybody. There are so many things to do for locals, students, backpackers and other tourists. Kick-off your day at Love Supreme with their famous flat whites and sausage roll, or Proper Order with their champion-winning coffee, and drop by the beautiful little bookshop, The Lilliput Press, to pick up a copy by a famous Irish writer. Take a stroll at Phoenix Park, the largest enclosed public park in any capital city in Europe, and savor a winner brunch at Slice before lunch hits. Have a sweet tooth? Visit The Green Door Bakery, and enjoy their range of scrumptious baked goods! If you want some personal pointers around Stoneybatter, go visit Maureen, she would know where to point you. 

When it comes to Stoneybatter restaurants and must-try local food, the list can go on. But on the top of our list would be L. Mulligan Grocer, known for their scotch eggs and single pot still whiskey, and Fish Shop, which serves the best locally caught, beer-battered fish with wine. Looking for a cozy spot to enjoy a late-night drink? Consider Frank Ryan’s and Dice as your next destination. Want to go to a movie? Visit Light House, a cool cinema in the hipster area. 

Stoneybatter Neighbourhood

How is Bartra making a mark?

With a growing population and a drop in housing listings due to COVID-19, Bartra’s announcement of the acquisition of the Stoneybatter site of 0.07 hectares last year is a powerful move. Our Stoneybatter social housing project is located at Blackhall, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, right in the heart of the city. The size of the 23-apartments project is 15% to 20% larger than most apartments in the area. This social housing project is less than 2km from Dublin Centre, 150 meters from the Law Society of Ireland, and just 500 meters from the Smithfield LUAS stop, making it highly convenient. Acquiring the site with our capital, the construction is fully on schedule since its start date in September 2019, and is aiming for completion at the end of March 2021 (This will be dependent on any further restrictions or delays caused by COVID-19). As the first company in Ireland to enter into a 25-year Enhanced Lease Agreement with a local authority, namely, the Dublin City Council, the Backhall-located apartments will not only allow more people to call this amazing neighbourhood home but welcomes those who are wishing to immigrate to use such investment as their ticket to Ireland. 

Stoneybatter before and after

The Stoneybatter social housing is just one of our phase 1 projects, with the gross development value at about €11.5 million. With phase II around the corner, speak with one of our expert advisors to find out more about Bartra Wealth Advisors and the Irish Immigrant Investment Programme by completing the form below, and see how you can be a part of our projects.

What is it like to attend secondary school in Ireland?

Posted on by bwa

Preparing your children for the Irish Education System

When you search for schools in Ireland, you’ll likely come across a range of articles on Ireland’s higher education institutions, namely, Trinity College Dublin. But for parents with children yet to enter higher studies, how is school life in Ireland like for them?

Irish School System Explained

The Education System in the Republic of Ireland is made up of primary, second, third-level, and further education. Similar to Hong Kong, where school is compulsory for children between the ages of 6 to 15, Irish education is compulsory from the ages of 6 to 16 or until the student has completed 3 years of second-level education. Second-level education, which is also referred to as the junior cycle, starts when the child is 12 years old. At the end of the junior cycle, students are required to take The Junior Certificate or JCPA examination, followed by a Transition Year. This year is particularly interesting because it focuses on education and training for the students through work experiences. There are no formal examinations during this year.

Ireland schools ranking

Ireland schools ranking

Ireland schools ranking

Then, in the post-primary school phase, students enter their senior cycle, which is 2 years of school education that prepares them to enter higher-level institutions. Children in Ireland get to choose between one of three programs, including the established Leaving Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, or the Leaving Certificate Applied. Each of these state examinations prepares children with different learning experiences.

If your child is planning to enter universities, institutes of technology, or colleges, the established Leaving Certificate sets them up for that. Instead, if your child already recognizes what technical subjects they are interested in, they can choose the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, specialized in vocational training. Different from Hong Kong, the education system in Ireland also offers a third option, which is the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme. With a primary objective to prepare children for the adult working life, this programme is more focused on establishing the children’s spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional, aesthetic, and physical abilities.

Irish Education System Ireland Secondary School

With the Irish school system extremely child-centered and based around the concept of collaborative learning, students get the option to experience a range of subjects, encouraging them to take part in things like business studies and entrepreneurial competitions. Here, we have an Irish secondary school teacher giving her insights into the Irish school system:

Local and International Students Entering the Ireland Education System

International students in Hong Kong mostly take the GCSE and IB Diploma Programme, following the UK system. Whereas, as mentioned, Ireland students take one of the three Leaving Certificates. Though there is not an apple-to-apple equivalent, International students do not have a problem applying for higher education in Ireland with their GCSE (broadly equivalent to the junior cycle) and IB Diploma (similar to the Leaving Certificates). On the other hand, Hong Kong education qualifications, such as the HKDSE, is also recognized by higher-level institutions in Ireland. On average, a grade of 44333 meets the general entrance requirements for university colleges, such as University College Dublin.

There are lots of studies in Ireland seminars happening around Hong Kong, which should well be able to facilitate further understanding of the alignments of the different educational systems. Here are some helpful links as well:

Irish Education System Ireland Secondary School

Students can decide to further their studies in Ireland, where universities are as good as, if not even better in certain subjects, than Cambridge and Oxford. Students who have obtained their Leaving Certificate in Ireland with a grade of H1, H2, H2, H2, H3, H3, have already met the minimum grade for enrolling in universities in the UK. Therefore, the option of continuing their studies in the UK is also completely attainable. 

Irish Education System Ireland Secondary School

Overall, student outcomes in Ireland and student attainment are extremely positive. Ireland now is an extremely multicultural society, where there is net inward migration and all students would and do feel very welcome in the system.

Here at Bartra Wealth Advisors, we deliver streamlined, in-group, end-to-end services that can help bring you and your family to Ireland. Our unique business model supports clients throughout their investment and immigration journey, from immigration advisory and government-backed IIP projects through to exit executions. We maintain a 100% application approval rate and a 100% renewal rate. Simply scroll down to download your step by step IIP guide and assess if Ireland can be your next move.