Summary of ideas submitted in the Policy category…

• Seize land that developers have defaulted on and use it for the local youth centres etc.
• Self employed individuals should give the Government a set amount each amount for the next 3 -5 years
• Sell 48% of commercially viable semi-state bodies to the private sector.
• Sell Government bonds via outlets such as eBay & the post office.
• Sell mortgages of people who sign up to an agreement. Mortgage is paid off and owner of house pays income levy of approx 5% pa and gets ownership of the house back after 50 years.
• Send able bodied prisoners to work on road projects etc.
• Set up a CAB like service for Social Welfare.
• Set up a confidential telephone line for reporting tax and social welfare-related fraud.
• Set up a forum for professionals to advice on economic and social policy.
• Set up a fourth branch of state - the regulator.
• Set up a levy on convicted wrongdoers who will be given the option to pay within seven days or have legally enforceable deductions from their pay-packets or benefits.
• Set up a national bank.
• Set up a special state ‘watchdog’ body for the banks
• Set up a tax free Government pension scheme.
• Set up a think-tank of economists to get together to sort out country.
• Set up a toxic bank
• Set up a website - www.Govdeals com/ie - to sell off Government surplus stock, and items seized by the CAB.
• Set up an independent body of professionals and economists to set taxes for the country and take the responsibility away from the Government.
• Set up good banks to give good loans rather than bad banks to soak up the bad debts.
• Set up Government bond schemes so that we can all invest in Ireland’s future with a tax-free return payable on bonds.
• Setup an ‘Ireland 2029 Endowment Fund’ or ‘The Green Fund’ and invite an international panel of industry experts to manage and oversee the fund.
• Shannon Development should be prepared to offer rent reductions rather than allow businesses leave the industrial estate. Empty state-owned properties are a waste of tax payers’ resources and earn nothing for Shannon Development.
• Sick pay should be covered on an individual risk basis version of PRSI (like motor insurance).
• Simplify tax returns for new businesses.
• Social welfare entitlements should be reviewed every 12 months.
• Social welfare recipients who start up their own businesses should continue to receive 50% of their benefits for the first two years.
• Social welfare should be cut, especially to those not born in Ireland.
• Split National Lottery Jackpots into 300 prizes of €10,000 so as to benefit more families.
• Stop Children’s Allowance payments for high income families.
• Stop dispensing free water in Government buildings.
• Stop investing around Dublin and invest around cities on the west coast instead.
• Stop paying overtime, bonuses etc and just pay what a family needs to live on. Give the rest of the money to the Government to solve short term cash needs. The money can be refunded in future.
• Stop selling cigarettes duty free at airports; coordinate this policy with the rest of the EU.
• Stop sending out monthly rent allowance receipts, instead sent the first one and with it give details of where more can be obtained if needed.
• Strengthen ties with China to allow Ireland to benefit from China’s growth in the future.