Irish glass half-empty on bailout anniversary

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http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/11/23/uk-ireland-idUKLNE7AM03820111123

(Reuters) - When Ireland was negotiating its EU-IMF bailout a year ago this week, James Taplin was on the dole and struggling to make ends meet.

Now the Dubliner is back in full-time employment and looking forward to treating his wife and children at Christmas.

It's been a while.

"I moved out to Dubai in April for work. Since then I have missed my son's fourth birthday, my daughter's first birthday, my wedding anniversary and my wife's birthday and everything about my daughter. The first time she stood up, the first time she spoke," he said in a telephone interview.

"I Skype home twice a week and after I hang up it's a disaster. I'm all over the place upset. I know my wife is upset. My son is saying, when is Daddy coming home?"