The latest sample of ideas received since campaign launch
Culture
It is great that Ireland can copy the “core competencies” of other developed nations (e.g. excel in “manufacturing” like Japan or the USA). However, this adds economic vulnerability, as recent times have shown, as manufacturers constantly seek lower cost countries for their new base.
Ireland should develop its own competency which cannot be outsourced. Ultimately, when everyone is done with the working day worldwide, they then seek leisure and the arts. Ireland should keep its economic diversity, but should focus on a national core competency.
In general this competency should be in the area of “the arts”. A Govt/private “art” working group would have to provide the details of how best to implement this. Essentially anybody with “art” talent would be identified at an early age (e.g. by schools) and incubated to blossom into a leading talent in their area of talent.
No barrier should exist for anybody with talent; the skids should be greased all the way to success for such people. The “arts” are something saleable worldwide which will bring never ending revenue that will feed on itself as new younger talent gets “local heroes”.
When the plan is accomplished years in the future, Ireland would be viewed as the cutting/leading edge for new literature/music/drama/art in the modern world. It would be viewed as the most “Art-friendly” nation on the planet for anybody with talent who wants to grow into an expert.
Education
Perhaps it could be made a condition that those receiving single parent allowances (who are not in employment) should be required to work/train a few hours a week.
For example, the government could utilise some of the currently empty premises in the country to provide a crèche and training centre. The parent could be obliged to work as an aide in the crèche for a certain amount of hours a week and undergo training at other times - maybe 20 hours a week in total.
This would help reduce the cost of childcare for working parents and encourage upskilling for the single parents.
Education
Currently in my school the infant teacher finishes at 2.00. We also employ a Language Support Teacher for 4 hrs per week. Can the infant teacher not be redeployed to teach the language support programme?
The pension levy is hurting all of us public service workers, but I would rather work harder and keep my salary intact.
Education
Oral and practical exams in second level schools should be held at least partially during school holiday time.
At present the government pays the teacher that is examining their normal salary plus the extra to do the orals and then they pay a substitute to cover those teachers’ classes.
This would also benefit students who would have their own class teacher for the full class time and not disrupt the running of the school
Green business
Government should support the design and development of Irish made wind turbines particularly in the west of Ireland and with this creates an initiative to encourage people to purchase Irish made wind turbines.
* (This idea is very long and detailed and has had to be edited for space reasons).
Green business
Ireland is in an excellent position to become a world leader in generating non-fossil renewable hydrocarbon fuels (such as petrol, methane, etc.) from water, recycled CO2 and off-peak wind energy, using a combination of existing, proven technologies. Here’s how it can be done, from my experience as a university senior lecturer in chemical engineering:
- Use off-peak wind energy to electrolyse water and produce industrial-scale quantities of hydrogen.
- React some of this hydrogen with recycled CO2 (sequestered from power station stack gases, cement plants, or other combustion sources) in a reverse water gas shift reaction to produce carbon monoxide (CO). This reaction is mildly endothermic (i.e. requires very little energy to make it happen).
- React the rest of the hydrogen with the CO in a Fischer-Tropsch reaction to make a selection of hydrocarbons (from methane, C1, up to long chain hydrocarbons C20+). These hydrocarbon products include octane, a key component of petrol. The Fischer-Tropsch reaction is highly exothermic (i.e. it actually gives out large amounts of energy).
All three steps use existing technologies, and do not require extensive R&D to prove their feasibility. Step 2, the reverse water gas shift reaction has been known for over 100 years.
Step 3, Fischer-Tropsch reaction, was extensively developed in South Africa during the apartheid regime, as a means of making their own hydrocarbon fuels to circumvent sanctions on oil imports.
The only net energy consuming step is step 1, the water electrolysis, and this is a perfect use for off-peak wind electricity. Hydrocarbons made in this way are thus carbon neutral, since they are made from recycled CO2.
This idea provides a sustainable solution to the impending global oil crisis, and does not require any modification of our existing transportation systems (the fuels produced are identical to petrol, diesel etc., only cleaner i.e. no sulphur, metals etc).
Green business
I am an Old Age Pensioner. My idea is that most towns and large villages in the country have a sewage treatment plant. These produce sludge which has to be disposed of.
This product could be converted to bio gas which could be used to provide power to drive electrical generators which would provide lighting for the towns and villages.
Green business
A feed-in tariff of 50 cent per kWh is proposed for micro renewable generating equipment under 100kw, which displaces wholesale electricity. The tariff would only apply to products which are manufactured here in Ireland.
The tariff would reduce at 5% per year until it reaches parity with the ESB rates. The feed-in tariff is based on the net production of the generator and not the amount that is returned to the grid.
The generator list would include solar thermal where it displaces wholesale electrical production in the summer.
The issue of peak shaving (reduction of wholesale generation at 6 pm when the dinner is cooked) can be solved by distributed battery storage, and power that is fed back into the grid from the battery storage would be included in the tariff.
This encourages a rapid growth of indigenous manufacturing industry which has export potential.
Innovation
In this European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009, business and Government should jointly set up creativity and innovation centres in the cities and major towns of Ireland, linked to art centres, theatres, and any other buildings that have under-utilised space during the day and at weekends.
Each of these Creativity and Innovation Centres should seek to combine workshops and events to help citizens of all ages to discover and express their hidden talents to promote creative thinking and its application, both at work and in the community to provide a forum for such new ideas and new thinking to get an airing and active encouragement to celebrate the life, energy, and spirit of improvisation and inventiveness that Irish people are known for.
My idea is to say to Irish people, ordinary people: “We have more in us to give than we ever imagined, and now is the time to show it. Each of us is capable of our own ‘All Ireland’ medal, of our own ‘Grand Slam’ performance.
“It is hard in isolation, but by coming together in such creativity and innovation centres we can pull performances out of each other, egg each other on, and replace the doom and gloom with exciting achievements, both personally and as communities.
“New thinking and new ideas are for free, the only investment is our time and our genius.”
Innovation
Micro-Entrepreneur Programme.
There are innovative entrepreneurs in companies and organisations all around the country and for various reasons will not take the risk of leaving secure employment and commit to starting a new business.
If the Government launched a programme whereby people can voluntarily take a sabbatical or part-time from their employer receive seed money start-up grant say two lump sums (12k first year plus 12k second year) social payments while the employer guarantees the person’s position for up to 3-4 years.
This will allow entrepreneur individuals to set up business with the security that they can return to job if it fails and they will get seed money.
The Government could also allow individuals to pool lump sum payments. This could be an engine for business creation and jobs.
Innovation
I would propose that the Dragons Den idea be developed to something more extensive. Why not have groups of business people volunteer their time around the country to create panels that would listen to ideas?
The investment, if required, could either be theirs or government or corporate. The concept would be to try and encourage people with any sort of business idea to come forward and present the idea. I think there are probably some great ideas lost because the person with the idea is not an entrepreneur.
That is, they don’t really want to take on the risk of working for themselves - not self confident enough to believe the idea is that good - not prepared to develop the idea further.
How many ideas are lost or hibernating because the person involved does not have the wherewithal to create a business plan or doesn’t believe they can prepare one?
If they knew there was a forum where they could present their idea at a very basic level, that is, bounce it off some experienced business people then they might be encouraged to go further.
Yes there will be stupid ideas but surely there will also be some good ones. How they are developed, supported, progressed is open for discussion.
Policy
Give a tax credit to every employer for every employee he or she employs for each full tax year.
Policy
The members of most state boards, quangos etc. are currently paid an annual fee plus expenses. I propose that such service be deemed an honour and a civil and patriotic duty (much like jury service) and that all payments be suspended at once.
All travel expenses should be based on the cost of public transport. This should apply to all public servants.
The same should apply to chairs, v-chairs, convenors of Dail Committees etc. Apart from saving money this would encourage people who currently serve on various boards around the country at their own expense (County Enterprise Boards, County Development Boards, Leader Companies etc).
I have experience of both paid state boards and non-paid boards.
Policy
Stop paying social welfare to people for sitting at home - get them out to work. Both my husband and I were made redundant at the end of last year and we are desperate to get back into work. We are receiving social welfare payments of €200 each per week for sitting at home.
We feel useless and we want to contribute to society but no one will give us the chance.
We both worked as professionals in the retail finance sector and we are finding it near on impossible to get work despite all our efforts. We feel that the money given to people on social welfare would be better spent by giving it to local businesses to subsidise the employment of those who are on benefits.
*(This idea is very long and detailed and has had to be edited for space reasons).
Policy
Job sharing - parental leave should be encouraged in civil/public service employment.
This should lower salary costs as most people who job share are at the middle of their salary scale and do so for family commitment reasons - they can be replaced by young, energetic and cheaper employees who are lower down on the salary scale. This will only work if job sharing is made attractive and if the employer is flexible in the arrangements with their employees.
Policy
I think there should be incentives for companies to employ graduates of all descriptions.
- Possibly no employer’s contributions to PRSI for the first year of the graduate’s employment.
- A grant of €5,000 per annum. This will be put back into the exchequer via PAYE and consumer spending.
The goal of this idea is to increase the companies of Ireland to give graduates a chance, as many companies only take on experienced personnel. It then begs the question, how are you supposed to get experience?
Policy
I would like to see a scheme where small employers can train a person on the dole without them losing their entitlements, and top up their money.
This would give the small business an opportunity to get confidence and expand and hopefully take on the person as a permanent employee when the situation stabilises and won’t cost the state anything.
The state could withdraw funding along the lines of the back to work scheme.
Retail
Set up a website to compare prices on a weekly basis between supermarket special offers. The aim would be to get lower prices for the consumer and jobs created in web designers and hosters and price checkers.
Funding from advertisers and benefit to shoppers to decide where to shop before leaving home.
Services (local)
Allow local contractors to compete for local contracts without all the red tape that goes with the current system.
I know of a government building in Donegal which was painted by a firm of Dublin painters at a cost of €11,000 when a local C2 contractor could have done the same job for half the price. Let local managers award small contracts to local people.
Services (local)
My idea would be dependent on the goodwill of all families in every community to donate or sell for a small fee any goods they might have necessary for taking part in any of the many ongoing children’s’ activities which take place in every parish - particularly for children from aged 5 approx to 12 years in.
For example in my house I would have a stage school outfit, dance shoes and football boots which are practically new but unwanted.
I have just two young children in two activities each but many families have much more demands. When I think of all the Irish dancing costumes, riding gear, cycling helmets (just to name a few of the many items which must lie in the community’s attic, wardrobes, spare room or garage for example, which could be bought for a nominal price e.g. €5 - €20 and then re-sold to families who perhaps are finding it difficult financially at this time for a little bit more).
It is not unusual for children to join a class (mum buys the gear), the child leaves and then the gear is idle!
(This idea is very long and detailed and has had to be edited for space reasons).
Services (local)
The Irish government could look for inspiration in the “cheque emploi service” system in France. It is proving to be very popular and has created thousands of local jobs. The principle is not too difficult to put in place.
Ordinary people can employ other people to do all sorts of small jobs (cleaning, ironing, home care, gardening, babysitting etc… the sky is the limit) and these people get paid with the cheque service (like vouchers worth 10, 20, 50 euros etc…)
The vouchers can be gotten through the social welfare services and include some form of PRSI/ pension contribution already paid. Hence no need to fill in forms. These everyday employers also get tax relief on the amount they spend. This also benefits the persons employed who can build stamps or credits towards their unemployment benefits or pension. Hence no black-market.
Many specialised recruitment agencies have also developed offering a whole range of a la carte services. All you need to do is register with them and pay them a commission. They will organise the people to come and work at your house.
They are also supposed to vet the potential employees. This also means you only deal with one person at a time. You might need to check all this with the French Embassy. They might have more information.
Technology
Ireland as the next Silicon Valley of Europe: I believe that the solution to our problem is simply to reverse the trend of multinationals leaving the country - and bringing more multinationals back into Ireland.
To achieve this, we should put in a 5 year plan to establish Ireland as the “Silicon Valley of Europe”.
I think that we should not become a general innovation centre but instead specialise in specific up and coming technologies that are going to become prevalent across all aspects of our day to day living in the next 20 years - like eCommerce and green technologies. By differentiating ourselves from other countries using a large software industry where its products integrate with each other automatically, we can attract multinationals to set up their base in Ireland as opposed to any other European country.
* (This idea is very long and detailed and has had to be edited for space reasons).
Transport
Extend the free transport scheme to all persons over 65, wherever they are from. Most of the vehicles are half empty anyway.
Tourism
Introduce a loyalty card to people who visit the country. A Green card!
The longer you stay, eat, travel, spend in the country the bigger the discount you get. Airlines, ferries, car reservation, hotels, restaurants, theatres and all our landmarks should reward the people who visit this country and the more spots they stop in the more benefits they should get. This should be rolled out across the country and should be given to travellers as they enter the country.
The government can get behind this and reward companies that get involved. People can take the cards with them and bring them back as the revisit the country.
It’s time to look after our tourists and not rip them off. This could also be used for customers in Ireland who stay in hotels, book flights and keep the industry going.
Tags: Add new tag, ideas, Ideas Campaign, News
RSS Feed