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Not sure about your situation in Ireland, but would you be any better off in the US?  It's tough economically wherever you go.  Would your husband be able to find work in the US or transfer with a company?  Good luck with your decision.

Hi Time Traveler,
Thanks for your reply. I guess I thought my "path" was posted with my details. I'm American and my husband is Irish, so he is eligible for a green card. He is a carpenter, and prospects in both countries for anyone in the construction sector are quite grim. However, unlike Ireland, many communities in the US are doing revitalization projects during the current times to help employ people as well as improve previously downgraded areas, as is the case of my hometown. So, that's encouraging.

I have been unofficially offered a job back home that pays siginificantly more than what I earn in Ireland.

So, on the face of it, we could stand to be better off financially if we move, at least in the immediate sense. It's hard to tell, though, and of course it's never as easy as just booking a plane ticket and going. Moving is expensive in itself and there are emotional ties to consider, too.

Ireland has been badly hit by this recession, and it seems to be getting worse and worse, with no glimmers of hope for the future. I think there's a difference between riding out a storm, which we're completely willing to do, and having to move elsewhere to find long-term opportunity and stability. Oh, if only I had a crystal ball and could see the future!