In Shannon it is a 5 on and 3 off system, and for arguments sake starting your shift cycle on a Monday:
Monday: Late 1 - 1130-2115
Tuesday: Swing 1 - 0830 - 1635
Wednesday: Dog - 0800 - 1300
Thursday: Night 1 - 0000 - 0840
Friday: Night 2 - 2100 - 0815 (This actually starts at 2100 on thursday night, but as it finishes on Friday it is counted as friday's duty)
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest
Monday: Rest
There are some alternate cycles of all days, but only a few people doing those, and also there is about once about every 8 cycles a 5 on 3 off of with a Late followed by 4 x Swing X - 1000-1935, but the above is the core roster. As regards breaks, the agreed max for sitting in position is 2 hours with a 25 minute fatigue break. Leave outside of Summer Block Leave is virtually non existant, and with those leaving, and those on maternity leave it is only getting tighter.
The atc system is from Thales, it has had its moments of sitting down, more so in DUB recently, not for a while in Shannon. It is similar to what Oz, and NZL have. It takes a while to get used to but it is workable.
Houses for rent are available, and it is getting cheeper to buy here with the economic down turn. There are plenty of options depending on whether you want to live in the cities or out in the country. Look at
Daft.ie : Property for Sale in Ireland, Overseas Property, Property to Let, Houses to Rent, Accommodation Sharing, Parking Spaces in Ireland (Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Belfast)
Houses for Sale Ireland. Property, Homes, Ireland. Irish Property, Overseas Property - MyHome.ie
for some ideas. Health insurance is expensive enough, as is buying and running a car, but it is doable.