Summary of ideas submitted in the Policy category…

• Allow gay marriage in Ireland. This will generate revenue from businesses associated with weddings such as hotels, photographers etc.
• Always plan the budget to have a surplus which can be used to pay off the economic debt and in future can be used for a rainy day.
• Amalgamate boys and girls schools.
• Amalgamate some of the smaller County Councils with their larger neighbours.
• Amend tax policy to make it more attractive for one parent to take a career break.
• Amend the Constitution to separate the Dail and Seanad.
• An ‘Ideas Campaign’ should be initiated within all state agencies with ideas based on how to save money.
• Any business that posts a pre-tax profit and lays off workers because the profit did not meet expectations should be subjected to special taxation measures.
• Any sale of goods worth more than €200 should require the consumer to give identification.
• Apply a 2% wealth tax on private pensions over the next 5 years, and also apply this tax on all pension schemes where a person is not retiring within 5 years.
• Apply a 20% capital gains tax on all National Lottery winners.
• Apply a non-resident ‘Patriot Tax’ on all Irish passport holders worldwide.
• Apply a special VAT rate on off-license alcohol drink sales; say 30%, instead of 21%.
• Appoint procurement directors to every public body in Ireland.
• Appoint qualified unemployed people to various state boards ahead of former politicians.
• Artists should get an increased tax free allowance. Artist’s tax exception should be reviewed.
• As part of the changes in the income tax rates a percentage should be taken like an investment into the SSIAs.
• As unemployment rises, lay off the equivalent percentage of civil servants.
• Auditors should be paid to find more tax revenue from their clients.
• Balance the budget deficit.
• Ban Government officials using state cars for personal use.
• Ban politicians from receiving more than one pension.
• Banks should reopen their Graduate Recruitment programmes as part of the government recapitalisation scheme.
• Bar anyone earning over €100,000 per annum from claiming expenses.
• Bar public servants on pensions from taking other public positions in retirement.
• Be more efficient and drop prices to be more competitive.
• Benchmark pay in the public service to those in similar roles in other EU countries.
• Bonds could be made attractive on a sliding scale 6 month, 1 year, 3 year and 5 year terms.
• Bord Gais and ESB should drop service charges on bills.
• Brian Cowen should address the nation and let us know the current situation is.
• Bring all public spending and tax rates back to where they were in 1996. This could be done incrementally over a 3 year period.
• Bring back Charlie McCreevy.
• Bring back National Development Bonds - this would allow for development of schools, public transport etc
• Bring back the Sunday trading times.
• Build a large offshore wind farm in the Irish Sea and make it easier to get lease consent from the government to build wind farms. There should be a change of culture and attitude within the civil service towards the construction of wind farms.