will my wife need a return ticket?

I downloaded the dummies guide to moving to ireland with non eu spouse in there it stated to find out if the airline will allow your non eu wife onboard without a return ticket, because money will be tight after our wedding ideally not having to buy a return ticket would be idea otherwise its going to be additional £400-500 on our already expensive plane tickets. but at the same time i don't want to risk this at the airport, what should i do?

The problem wouldn't be with entering ireland with one way ticket,it is with the airline from the country of departure.They may refuse to board you without a long stay visa.Better to go and buy the ticket at the airline counter in ur country of departure,if they assure u that u can fly with one way ticket,then U'll be fine.Also make sure that the attendant sign his/her name on the ticket to confirm it in order to avoid argument in the end.

yeah its very frustrating, i needed to show an exit ticket when i first boarded the plane for her country, however being british just booked a cheap £20 exit plane ticket to singapore to shut them up but for her there won't be such a cheap option and money is quite the issue, the downside to buying a ticket at the counter here in her country is it will be far more expensive then buying a ticket online

If you fly with Etihad they don't require an onward ticket, but I booked two outward tickets from Dublin to Liverpool for 40 euro for the two three months after arrival.I was never asked for them. You don't need return tickets , like you said before you booked a throw away ticket when you went, just do the same coming here. good luck, john