Summary of ideas submitted in the Policy category…

• The Government should help start up businesses with investment.
• The Government should identify Ireland core businesses and limit the number of public servants serving these based on the number employed in the private sector.
• The Government should impose a mandatory 5-10 year Government bond on those earning high salaries, and also create an option for those on lower salaries to purchase the bonds in an SSIA-style investment scheme.
• The Government should impose restrictions on sick leave pay.
• The Government should initiate a loan guarantee scheme for small entities.
• The Government should insist that all individuals capable of working in the HSE etc should go out to work or have their unemployment benefit stopped.
• The Government should introduce LEAN principles to reduce waste.
• The Government should look at financial situation on a daily basis.
• The Government should move from defined benefit to defined contribution pensions for all new public sector hires.
• The Government should not pay VAT on invoices to suppliers if it is returned within two months. The Government should retain this money rather than giving the company the use of it for two months.
• The Government should oblige the banks to sign a deal to stop pursuing mortgage defaulters; instead, they could lengthen the mortgage term for people in arrears.
• The Government should offer tax breaks to make it more viable for one parent to stay at home.
• The Government should borrow from its citizens’ deposits in the banks instead of borrowing on the international financial markets.
• The Government should pay its own bills to small businesses within 10 days to help these businesses with their cash flow.
• The Government should pay new employers dole money for unemployed people that they hire for the first 3 months of employment.
• The Government should purchase, at the current market price, a large housing stock (say 20,000 units) to use as affordable housing. These should be offered to people currently on housing waiting lists or eligible for affordable housing. People should pay rent and a small mortgage for these homes and eventually have a chance of owning them.
• The Government should re-allocate ministerial portfolios so that one minister is in charge of each of the major areas of the economic problem.
• The Government should reduce the retirement age to 60.
• The Government should remove all double time or time and a half obligations for Sunday working.
• The Government should renegotiate with banks for mortgages with the ECB rate or a fixed rate for everyone with a mortgage, charges for changing from a fixed to variable rate should be overlooked for this change.
• The Government should revalue mortgages and the difference in the amount of the mortgage and the amount the house is worth should be written off using the re-capitalisation fund. Reduce by 15% first-time mortgages with LTV of 80% and above and apply a maximum interest rate on the outstanding amount of ECB + 0. 5%.
• The Government should revise immigration and naturalisation policy. We must encourage people to stay and fill all the necessary jobs in the country where the Irish are reluctant to fill.
• The Government should sell state assets, services or other items (e.g. old computer stock, furniture etc).
• The Government should set a date by which Ireland will be energy self-sufficient.
• The Government should set aside up to €300million per annum for start-ups and also provide a €250million fund for investment in companies at the point of commercialisation.
• The Government should set up a guaranteed national revival fund, offering a small rate of interest over a fixed term. Promote the fact the ordinary people can place their savings with the Government (post office saving certificates) and earn interest rather than leave their money sitting in a bank account earning little or no interest.
• The Government should set up and advertise a free phone number and email address and offer a reward of two weeks social welfare payment to anyone who gives details of a person working in the black economy.
• The Government should set up bonds for people to put money into and the Government should pay a nice interest rate on it and give tax breaks on the money when it is drawn down.
• The Government should set up its own construction company to build roads etc and save on dole money
• The Government should set up legal forum to stop companies writing off debts as bad when they don’t have to.
• The Government should skip the pension contributions fund.
• The Government should speak to the Head of Lebanon Bank.
• The Government should stop child benefits to parents whose children live abroad.
• The Government should take a stake in banks up to 50% and sort out what to do with all outstanding loans on a case by case basis.
• The Government should take complete possession of unfinished houses and unfinished estates. Employ builders to complete the unfinished houses. Use these vacant / unfinished properties for social housing.