Summary of ideas submitted in the Construction category…

• Proposal to carry out large construction work on Ireland’s water supply.
• Change the mindset of social welfare payment recipients. Get unemployed skilled workers to work for their benefits.
• A change of law whereby someone who defaults on mortgage repayments due to the recession does not affect the homeowner’s credit rating. Also unemployment benefits should be more readily available.
• Reduce stamp duty and VAT (7%) to encourage buyers.
• National extension of rent-to-buy scheme.
• Insulating the homes of the elderly to save money on heating allowances and also create work for the unemployed.
• The government could give funding to companies who are willing to lend and therefore act as an agency for the government.
• Create a generation of eco-friendly carbon free electricity - i.e. turbine generating.
• There should be an immediate stopping of plans for new social housing. Instead make use of all unsold homes for people on the housing list.
• Invest in wind power and hydro electric storage stations.
• Promote double glazing to save energy.
• Destruct surplus houses and apartments.
• A nationwide home improvement scheme to produce more ‘greener’ and energy efficient homes.
• Destruct surplus houses and apartments.
• The building of casinos would create construction jobs and promote tourism.
• Stop zoning of land and the granting of planning permissions for development for three years.
• A grant scheme on home extensions for home owners who employ guaranteed builders (who are tax registered).
• Guaranteeing the value of houses purchased by first-time buyers to increase confidence in the market and encourage people to purchase.
• Reduce stamp duty.
• Reform An Bord Pleanala and implement a model such as that of the Dutch authorities.
• Ask tradesmen to charge customers for materials at cost and then a discretionary charge for their labour costs.
• Link the construction workers pension scheme and the tax registration process and have a phase in of contribution rates.
• Develop empty housing estates into affordable retirement communities.
• Government to invest and encourage construction in infrastructure and schools
• Train construction workers to build kit houses adopting green ideas such as passive solar panels in anticipation of a resurgence of the construction market.
• Fast track planning permission.
• A nationwide home improvement scheme to produce more ‘greener’ and energy efficient homes.
• Reduce the red tape surrounding planning permission regulations.
• Improving grant schemes for the construction of ‘greener’ homes.
• Tax credits for the purchase of energy efficient and ‘greener’ homes.
• Utilise unemployed construction workers to complete the work on unfinished houses. Then sell the houses at a reduced price (there were several variations on this).
• Banks to write down mortgage principals by as much as 50% and restore the right to develop land to freeholders.
• The construction of a symbolic structure or an underwater UK tunnel.
• Contributor encourages supporters of the Ideas Campaign to call their local TD and Senator to enquire how initiatives are being implemented.
• Drive down the cost of building material therefore making houses cheaper. The development of new materials and “modular prefabricated residential units” should be encouraged.
• Utilise the unemployed construction workers to work on the Dublin Metro.