The Ideas Campaign - latest sample of ideas received since campaign launch
All island economy
My idea is for urban workers on rural farms to operate a match-making service to pair urban dwellers with rural farmers, where the dweller will receive a patch of land to grow food and will provide assistance (work, company, etc) to these farmers who live in isolation, with little prospect of handing on their business to the next generation. Kind of like a resurgence of the rural resettlement Ireland campaign of the 80s/90s.
Agriculture & Food
Ireland could become a leading producer of mass produced organic vegetables and fruit via the intensive greenhouse method. The produce would be grown intensively in large green houses and custom built tunnels all over the country.
There are large tracts of under-utilised agricultural land around Ireland and these structures could be set up around every town, village and even in cities on open ground and perhaps even in IDA business parks! The fertiliser supply could come from many sources, obviously to a set standard. Seaweed, animal manure, compost could all be prepared to the required standard by ancillary facilities acting as support structures. Main sources of power could be harnessed from solar, wind and other renewable.
A large-scale maintenance infrastructure would be required as a backup for these organic horticultural projects. Large-scale warehouse type greenhouses could be customised to allow refrigerated goods trains, and articulated containerised transport drive through for transportation to the Irish an European ever expanding market. This intensive mass produced method of growing superior quality vegetables and fruit would ensure affordable organic produce to a huge market, thus ensuring large-scale sustainable employment throughout the whole country.
Construction
In any construction project funded in any way by the state or its agencies, the building company should be obliged to prominently display large signs at any public access to the site, with the following information:- The name and address of the main contractor with contact details, along the lines of the anti smoking signs in buildings.
The sign should also include web access to the tender for the project and most particularly the agreed date of completion of the contract. If the agreed date of completion is very prominently displayed it allows for greater public monitoring of the project, with some degree of immediate accountability for the main contractors.
The contractors might also be obliged to display the number of days the project is overrun, similar to the accident free outside some sites. The cost would be minimal and it might encourage timely completion of public projects.
Culture
Airplay on radio and television is the cornerstone of a musician’s survival. An Irish Music Rights report showed that of the broadcasters of Ireland paid roughly 7.5 million euros in royalties. Of this an approximate 6.75 million euros went to foreign publishers composers and songwriters leaving an estimated 0.75 million to their Irish counterparts, of which a paltry 5% reached those practicing the folk & traditional arts which would amount to about 40,000 euros.
There is a need to develop and preserve our musical culture, or the way in which the artist is an integral part of our society.
A media authority body should be set up with immediate effect. Such an authority will need to take a serious look at such issues as access, ownership, regulation and diversity of the broadcasters of Ireland, not to mention the laws & legislation governing them which needs to be implemented.
If we are to achieve levels of airplay for our indigenous artists akin to figures boasted by Canada, France, Finland and many other European countries that are now seeking change, then serious and immediate action must be taken.
The foundation of this industry is airplay. Otherwise we will continue to be a country where Irish fishermen have access to Irish waters, where Irish farmers have access to Irish land but Irish musicians do not have access to what will sustain them now and into the future; the Irish airwaves. Finally if we consider the French legislation in 1994 for 40% of music being of French origin, then we would be looking at very realistic figures of retaining close to 3 million Euros in Royalties on that percentage basis for Irish songwriters, composers, publishers, singers and m,usicians and the development of a proud music industry.
* (This idea is very long and detailed and has had to be edited for space reasons).
Education
I would like to “marry” child benefit with school attendance in the Republic of Ireland only for the over fives. Under privileged areas in our community have a very low attendance at schools (both primary and secondary levels). I feel that if you were hitting the parents in the “pocket” they would guarantee that their children would attend school. At the moment we have the 20 day rule which allows children to be absent. If the child is sick they would have to submit a doctor’s certificate (as is the case at present). If no certificate is submitted, no benefit would be paid until certificate is received. It would also stop benefit (approximately 20million pa) leaving the country - as the child would have to be attending and registered at a school in the Republic once the child is over 5.
Education
My idea relates to education and the soon to be enforced abolishment of free third level education in one way or another. We have had a lot of talk about a ’smart economy based on innovation’. To do this we need students to enter into specific areas of education, like engineering. We could encourage students into these courses by offering free fees in thee areas.
Also, rather than abolishing fees completely we could offer conditional free education. In that I mean that fees would be free on the basis that the student completes the course and graduates. That way the taxpayer gets value for money as the PAYE earned by higher wages in future would repay initial investment. It would offer an incentive to students to complete courses and significantly lower the % of dropouts which is wasted taxpayer money. It would also mean we keep our highly skilled workforce and lose the wastage from paying fees for students who don’t complete courses.
Green business
In Tesco in the UK at the moment they have a scheme where you can recycle your “cans and plastics” and you receive “bonus points” from the store for doing so. This should be brought into Ireland - where any store over a certain square footage would have to have recycling facilities for whatever they sell in their store on the immediate site.
We had in the past (which has disappeared quite suddenly) a reuse recycling machine located in Scoil Ide Sports Complex Finglas, which meant every time I recycled a plastic bottle I got 3 points and for every can I got 6 points. Approximately 70,000 points was required to acquire a white board for the school. With all parents recycling at this facility we managed to acquire one (I think the cost of the white board is approximately 4,000 euro). This type of system should be implemented countrywide - helping schools collect much needed funds.
Green business
Produce products that are green, produced in Ireland and affordable to everyone. In particular, cleaning agents, shampoos, soaps, nappies, sanitary wear, recycled toilet tissue and kitchen roll. Most people do want to make a difference but prices and access to such products can be a deterrent. Nobody wants to be ripped off; paying a bit extra for a long term difference is justifiable.
Green business
Reducing our carbon footprint is my suggestion. The government should bring in a phased plan for the reduction of the use of non-recyclable packaging on products. As a consumer with a large family, I find I buy produce/goods in packaging that cannot be recycled. This is even the case with many organic products which come in plastic containers.
I believe we should ban non-recyclable packing on goods produced in this country (initially) and then on goods imported. This would reduce our footprint and encourage the development of green packing in this country thereby creating jobs in our economy.
Innovation
The Government should:-
(a) Run exhibitions that are free in and the stands are free for various new businesses
(b) Run ’speed dating’ type meetings for small companies to swap business cards and have a 5 minute spiel to each of the other attendees - free of charge
(c) Organise events for people with ideas needing support, financial or otherwise, e.g. a Dragon’s Den type of affair
Pharmaceutical / bio pharmaceutical / medical devices
I am a teacher, working with children with severe & profound learning disability - all of whom require using assistive technology and mobility aids. Children grow and change. Mobility aids are outgrown and/or need to be modified and changed. Sanction for funding for new equipment is becoming harder and harder to obtain. However, the Department of Education insists that those pieces of equipment for which it has paid must be retained by the school, even when they are no longer in use.
All over Ireland, there are many standers, splints, wheelchairs, positioning systems etc, no longer in use and being stored either in already overcrowded schools and/or in damp sheds. Many of these could be reconditioned, adjusted and reused. After all, though “individually” tailored to the needs of each individual, the equipment generally starts out as a generic piece.
Therefore why not:
1. Procure some of the vacant office/warehouse facilities available
2. By liaising with schools and voluntary bodies centralise all out-of-service mobility aids
3. Employ/train/up-skill people of all abilities in the refurbishment of the equipment (evaluate/repair/remodel/replace parts/clean/sanitise/QC check)
4. Create a database of the available equipment
5. Offer it on a long-term loan/lease to schools and/or families, through the DES and/or voluntary bodies
* (This idea is very long and detailed and has had to be edited for space reasons).
Pharmaceutical / bio pharmaceutical / medical devices
The public on entering a hospital are invited to clean their hands with an anti bacterial gel. At the same time they are walking around corridors and wards wearing shoes which carry potential germs such as dog dirt, gum, spit etc, on their soles.
My idea is to place a disinfecting mat at all entry points of the hospital. This could be done in the same way as we had put measures put in place to prevent the foot and mouth disease. An extra measure could be a mist spray at entry points. This could reduce the spread of germs to seriously ill patients.
Policy
I would like to see vouchers for food, fuel, electricity, etc. paid out instead of all cash for social welfare. This would have a two fold effect, firstly social welfare would now be spent where it was intended and not in bookies, bars, or buying illegal products, secondly, I believe this would reduce fraud.
Retail
Stop 24 hour opening of all shops: Alcohol should only to be sold by a specialist shop. It will cut underage drinking and binge drinking. Tobacco should only to be sold by a specialist shop, it will cut underage smoking and hopefully the smokers among us will be encouraged to curtail our smoking habits if we had to visit the city centre to purchase a box of smokes.
Social and voluntary
Unemployment work scheme - Graveyard research If there is to be a restoration of the FAS-work schemes to get something in return for receiving benefit, one idea would be to have people go through graveyards to record the details from all gravestones. This information should be recorded and searchable as a gift to future generations. Having this information easily accessible would help trigger tourists to visit the areas of their ancestors.
Social and Voluntary
After all these wonderful ideas are put into place it would only be fitting to celebrate with a memorable day and this could be an opportunity to raise funds for our most vulnerable and let down i.e. our homeless, our elderly, and our sick people.
We could have our very own Live Aid style day. The high profile people in Ireland might be willing to come on board e.g. Have simultaneous concerts around the country in the large venues. U2, River dance, Sinead O’Connor, Boyzone, Westlife, Van Morrison, The Corrs, Saw Doctors, etc, and they might like to donate their services. Sir Bob might co-ordinate it??
The banks and large business sectors might fund the venues. Our top DJ’s might present it. Our wonderful retired Grey Army and our students who work very well together could get involved with campaigning. All the proceeds from ticket sales could go into the fund to create some work for unemployed people to help our needy whether it’s building extra facilities in our hospitals, comforting the homeless ,organise some of our many taxis to deliver the weekly shopping to the elderly or sick at a reasonable cost during slack times in their day. I am sure there are lots of worthwhile basic things could be done. RTE could televise the day.
Imagine the feel good factor this style of day could create if all walks could be brought together for the common good while having the craic.
Technology
I would like to purpose a strategic technology twining of Silicon Valley in California with our own technology parks in Ireland. This special relationship would improve our standing as a smart economy, generate jobs, and produce wealthy for the following reasons:
1) Ireland has always enjoyed a special relationship with the U.S politically and socially and this relationship would enable the temporary exchange of high skilled workers in California with Ireland. The exchange of workers would bring new American skills and experience to Irish companies which has enabled companies in the U.S to have edge over the rest of the world at the moment in regards to technology.
2) It will signal the movement of the Irish economy into the ultra high tech economic zone where Japan and South Korea is at the moment. This would be a magnet for investment from other counties.
4) Technology related projects and businesses would be developed in partnership with California. Ireland would become an extension of Silicon Valley and weep the benefits of being dragged ten years ahead of the rest of Europe.
For this to work Irish political and technological delegations would have to implement the idea to the U.S. A strong political message would have to be communicated to the rest of the world that Ireland now has this relationship and will be a primary destination for the development of technology from Silicon Valley.
* (This idea is very long and detailed and has had to be edited for space reasons).
Transport
Could buses be fitted with bike carriers, placed on front of bus, people could cycle part way to work and hop on a bus if it started to rain? I saw them in San Diego where it was free to throw a bike on the front of the bus, wouldn’t get the economy moving but might help our figures.
Tourism
Promote the interaction of tourists with Irish people. This is a big part of the attraction for visitors by promoting the Italian model known as AgriTourismus. This would involve offering evening meals within a family home with the family. This could be Bord Failte promoted initiative.
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