 Buy and sell shares  Traditional i.e. Merrion, Davys, Goodbodys etc  Online Discount Brokers, i.e. E-trade, Sharewatch, ODL Securities  Advisory vs Execution Only

 What are the costs of buying and selling shares?  Are these flat fees or commissions?  Is there a charge to set up the account?  Are there account maintenance fees?  How can I monitor my positions, trading history etc?  If I open an online trading account, what software is available and what are the costs involved?

 What rate of foreign exchange will I be subject to if I would like to trade another currency?  Is there a minimum required to set up an account?  Do I have to trade a minimum per transaction?  How do I fund my account (is there a charge for that?)  Does my money earn interest in my account and if so, how much?  What markets can I trade through?