The usual minimum ‘long-term’ rental period in Ireland is six months, although three-month lets can be found, and the maximum three years.
Most rental contracts, however, are for nine or twelve months. Rental costs vary considerably depending on the size (number of bedrooms) and quality of a property, its age and the facilities provided. However, the most significant factors influencing rents are the region, city and neighbourhood. (Note that in Ireland there’s a distinction between ‘flats’ and ‘apartments’: a flat may be above a shop or office or in a converted old house, whereas an apartment is usually purpose-built.)
Agencies that deal mostly in long-term rentals include: Accommodation Lettings in Dublin (Tel. 01-496 2866), who offer a free list of accommodation for rent; Home Locators (Tel. 01-679 5233), who produce a list of available accommodation in Dublin, with a registration fee to view as many properties as you like within one month; and Express Accommodation (Tel. 01-878 2100), who, for a fee, will send you daily accommodation lists and keep looking until they find something suitable. In Cork city, Apartmentfinders (Tel. 021-427 7718) offer a free service for long-term rentals, as do Marian Rose Properties (Tel. 021-429 3333).