The latest sample of ideas received since campaign launch
Agriculture and food
A new organisation with a proposed name of PLANT. Standing for: Plant Land And New Trees.
A “can do” voluntary organisation for three categories: Ordinary environmentally concerned citizens, the same in land owners, and the same in tree nursery growers.
The Internet would be the main means of promoting PLANT. Essentially the process would be people, with no other interest than just to feel good by planting something, planting trees on other people’s land, the trees being supplied by nursery growers.
Many people would like to contribute more to the environment to reduce their global footprint but find, apart from what they can do in their own homes/gardens, there is little scope and say the planting of trees is only a rare opportunity. PLANT would provide a mechanism for them to do this.
Land owners: Similarly this category would be happy to have a small broadleaved wood planted for them provided the crop was theirs and adequate legal and safety guarantees were in place.
I would include government, county councils and local authorities in this category. It is surprising the amount of land, more than say 22 metres from the road edge that is available along our county roads. Many areas like this could be identified by local authorities.
I am sure many existing grant schemes could be modified to facilitate these needs. The positive outcomes for people, the Government the nation and the environment are evident if such an idea was successfully established.
* (This idea is very long and detailed and has had to be edited for space reasons)
All island economy
In the previous recession we offered companies low corporate taxes and they came. In the late 90’s we offered jobs and they came.
We now offer free power / electricity. This would easily entice at least 5,000 companies each employing 100 workers to Ireland. We then have 500,000 extra workers paying taxes in this country. Corporate taxes, VRT, building taxes, VAT etc. So the housing bubble is covered and banking stability can be restored.
Our current consumption is only 5,000 MW. We can easily add green capacity (offshore/tidal) with fertile ground off the west coast. Through direct government investment or through private partnership, we can become better at delivering this technology worldwide.
Culture
The tourism potential of Ireland’s undeveloped archaeological sites.
Ireland has a vast archaeological heritage which is a largely untapped resource. There are some 20,000 late iron age ring forts many with underground chambers. Almost all lie abandoned and inaccessible.
Some are extremely important historically and culturally, like Rathfeerwore in Galway, the original site of the Turoe Stone. Our early Christian missionary church sites are also by and large abandoned and overgrown.
The Government should set up a new state body with a mission statement to vigorously develop the tourism potential of our countrywide archaeological resources, as a complement to the existing small number of flagship and very expensive projects.
Some of the more obvious advantages of such an undertaking are:
- The resources already exist nationwide.
- The work could be coordinated through existing bodies such as universities, local government, Fás and local voluntary bodies.
- Clean-up work is labour intensive, low-cost and may even be voluntary, as in the case of foreign university students or local development organisations.
- The scheme would offer an additional source of income to landowners, hoteliers, bed and breakfast, and tour operators.
- Supervisory staff could be drawn from senior and post grad archaeological students worldwide seeking work experience particularly during summer recess.
- The scheme would safeguard threatened archaeology.
- Ireland’s cultural heritage is our most valuable asset.
Education
Currently we are only considering two primary methods of funding third-level education in Ireland. The first is to have students pay for education fees upfront, in the form of education loans or through graduate tax. The second is to continue to have the tax payer foot the bill.
However, there is a third approach that has not been considered and that is to apply a 1.5% corporate tax specifically ear-marked for third-level education.
If one considers that all businesses in Ireland benefit significantly from hiring well educated and highly skilled graduates from our Institutes of Technology and universities, it seems unreasonable that they contribute very little financial support toward this education.
Surely the primary beneficiaries of a well-educated workforce are business which profits from applying the graduates’ skill-sets.
The Irish corporate tax rate is too low and it primarily encourages corporations to set up head offices in Ireland to avoid paying higher taxes elsewhere which does little to aid the creation of jobs.
A 1.5% “education tax contribution” tacked on to corporate tax is unlikely to deter businesses locating in Ireland.
Innovation
I would suggest that enterprise boards and Enterprise Ireland supply 24 hours of business mentors’ time to convert the innovative thought into a grant application, and assist in writing a business plan with the person and assist with market research and patent searches.
The application process for enterprise boards is too daunting for many that are not skilled at the business side but have very good innovative ideas.
We need to put all the innovative ideas into a process and support the best ones - currently a high percentage are not known or understood as the innovator has not the ability to identify the state agencies and how to best approach them.
Think of it as speed dating but for innovation stimulation turning ideas into business plans that Enterprise Ireland and enterprise boards and banks can consider.
* (This idea is very long and detailed and has had to be edited for space reasons).
Policy
Jobs are being lost every day. Yet there are hundreds in the public service (e.g. healthcare) who would accept reduced hours and the accumulated hours would add up to extra jobs on a cost neutral basis.
For example I want to go job sharing but will not be allowed. This needs to be driven by national policy so that any roadblocks to its implementation can be ironed out nationally.
Policy
I think that we should reduce the corporation tax rate to below 10%. We should encourage companies to use Ireland as not only a European base but a headquarter location for world trade.
We are in a unique position of being a neutral country so we should use our friendly nature as a basis for other countries like the US to trade with countries like Iran, South Korea etc without letting their past problems cause a problem now.
Our government could act like a regulator to guarantee that as long as business was being carried out between these countries there would be a strict code of practice.
I think that we could carve a place for ourselves as experts in crafting a smooth transition between countries where trust is an issue.
The tax rate would make it attractive but the fact that the world knows that we have an educated intelligent work force already. It puts us in a great position to broker trade deals between countries that would welcome trade but mistrust the country in question.
Policy
There is a growing secure market in Ireland today, the nursing home sector. We need to change the taxable allowances from shelters for the wealthy into a pension type product available for every working person. This would stimulate the sector now when sites are cheap and construction costs are low.
We could attract the public now to buy a share in a home that would secure a place for the growing aging population.
This share could be tax friendly in that it would form part of your pension. There would be a return of 5% per year plus uplift in the value of the home in say 20 years’ time.
This would take the pressure off the banks now and would enable the operators to grow their businesses. Banks 50%, private investors 50%.
Policy
Put a levy on all concert and sports and other events tickets.
Policy
The government should encourage all employers, especially SMEs to hire one extra employee by providing an employee support scheme.
There are so many people on the live register, many who are very talented and well educated, who would be prepared to work for even the minimum wage rather that be on the dole. The government should subsidise employers, and especially SMEs, to hire at least one employee. All SMEs could do with an extra resource.
The unemployed person earns approx €240 per week. The minimum wage is approx €318 a week.
If an SME could pay the resource the difference between the social welfare payment and the minimum wage, many SMEs could afford to hire the extra resource.
Or if the government wanted to save some money in the scheme, and pay half of the resource’s wages it would still encourage some SMEs to employ.
There are currently 160,000 SMEs in Ireland. Even if half of them could take part in the scheme, they could reduce the dole queue by 80,000 and at the same time give their business a boost, give the unemployed person some experience, probably some training and build their self-esteem.
All round this is a win-win situation. Obviously there would need to be some ground rules so that employers would not take advantage of the unemployed, maybe introduce a 12-month contract etc.
Policy
Make it simple to make revenue payments in advance. Not a direct debit mandate but a credit account that can be added to when funds are available.
Varying amounts can be paid into Revenue. Many struggling businesses may be in a position to pay now but funds may be scarce when revenue deadlines arrive.
Policy
Change the law to allow gay marriage in Ireland.
This will generate revenue into the economy by the increased sales in all businesses associated with weddings e.g. hotels, photographers, florists, jewellers, printers, bridal wear, dress hire, travel etc.
Retail
The towns and cities of Ireland have lost much of their identity over the past 20 years. There is a need to bring back family retail, restaurant and pub businesses to our centres.
I would suggest a 10-year rates break for a ‘Name over the door’ type business (under a defined area). This would bring back some of our heritage and give our town centres a unique look.
As family-run businesses the overheads would be low - thus keeping prices down and service levels high. This is also a means to encourage people into self-employment (as an alternative to driving a taxi for example).
This could lead to an increase in the number of retail units - helping the commercial property sector. It would also allow for a welcome increase in competition within the retail and restaurant sector.
In the long run there would be more commercial businesses to pick up the rates applied by local authorities.
Retail
Produce a local loyalty card. This is something already being done in other countries. I live in Sligo, and the demarcation between the big international stores and the local stores becomes clearer every day. Our local businesses are particularly hampered by lack of on-street and nearby parking, whereby the shopping centres have their own car parks.
It would encourage people to support local businesses and - just as importantly, I think - maintain the local character and personality of a place, instead of becoming just like every other high street.
Locally owned businesses are much more committed to the community that they operate in, but in these circumstances many of them may need a little extra help when competing against the clout of a multinational which may be able to afford to offer discounts that they can’t.
A loyalty card is also something that might be possible to extend to services, farmers’ markets, etc.
Services (local)
Reintroduction of the traditional rural housing concept called the clochan.
Traditionally the Irish countryside contained small groups of houses clustered together in what were termed clochans. Smaller than a village, they were often the houses of extended family members, and provided mutual social and economic support.
Self sufficiency and cottage industry were the cornerstones of the clochans’ survival. In rural areas where clean ground or surface water is available and with the development of bio cycle waste treatment and wind energy, clochans of up to a suggested maximum of 10 houses with large gardens and/or cottage industry facilities would provide a much needed economic boost to rural areas.
Some necessary restrictions would need to be in place such as:
- A landowner developing a clochan may be allowed one house only per 10 acres of land holding
- A clochan must be water, waste and energy self sufficient except where these services can be adequately provided by the local council or service provider
- A clochan must have only one exit onto the existing road network
- In sensitive areas the clochan may be required to be appropriately screened by trees
Services (local)
One of our greatest resources is our “micro group organisations” - e.g. Special Olympics and organisations such as the GAA, which has strong local roots.
Let’s get strong local organisation such as GAA to form the basis for gathering local groups to filter ideas and new micro innovations.
Get our state organisations such as EI and FAS to actively support, nurture and develop these ideas. Get our students to work on projects during the year and especially on holidays (and these students should be paid some thing nominal).
Maybe also get companies to sponsor these groups (remember the pride people have wearing their Special Olympics jackets - there should be something similar here). The whole purpose of this initiative should be empowerment of the people by the people.
Services (local)
Hotel accommodation. Often rooms are not filled because they are too expensive.
My idea is to advertise dinner in a hotel at a particular rate, with free accommodation, just pay for breakfast. This way the guest may spend more on dinner, another coffee/bottle wine and drink in the bar.
It’s a bit like the Ryanair idea, i.e. don’t pay much for the flight, but pay for the extras.
Services (local)
My idea is to set up an instant neighbourhood crime alert network. I am suggesting that neighbourhoods should operate ‘crime text alert ring communities’.
This crime alert system would be a helpful extra tool in the fight against crime, while also benefiting Garda patrol planning and budgeting. Crime text alert ring communities could be set up by local Garda stations / 999 services, or local neighbourhood watch groups.
Local community members would register their individual mobile phone numbers into a local crime text alert ring community. If a crime is committed on any member of a ring community, in a local area, the member concerned would send a crime text alert message to a designated local text alert phone number.
That text alert message would automatically be forwarded to all mobile phones registered in the ring. The brief template text message would inform all ring members that a breach of security has taken place locally, and that members should be immediately security conscious.
The Gardai would also be instantly alerted to the crime. The more members registered to any crime text alert ring community, the more effective this crime prevention network will be.
Services (local)
My idea is to reduce VAT on restaurant prices. Restaurants generally use Irish raw materials, are owned by Irish people, employ Irish people and mostly have an Irish landlord.
Thus the multiplier effect in Ireland from spending in a restaurant is quite considerable. The VAT reduction would result in a reduction in prices (given the current competitive environment) and an increase in the number of people eating out.
It would be a good idea to encourage people to give restaurant vouchers rather than other vouchers (which are often spent on imported goods with little multiplier effect in Ireland).
Services (local)
I am an old age pensioner and use the bus regularly. I have a free bus pass and note that most of the people on the bus are seniors.
With Dublin Bus in difficulty, maybe it would be an idea for each senior to make a contribution each time they use their bus pass by putting say 50c in the driver’s cash box.
This should be entirely voluntary. I think how the Catholic Church relies a lot on contributions on the plate on Sunday, why not do the same for our bus service and maybe there would be no need to let drivers go?
Services (local)
While working as a nurse in different hospitals and health care institutions, I noticed that staff use supplies without knowing the cost of each item.
As a result more expensive options can be chosen when a cheaper option was available. I would like to see the unit price of each item displayed on the box in the clinical room for all staff to see.
The cost of doing this is minimal and the savings will be thousands every year.
Services (local)
While in hospital with my daughter recently I noticed that in a ward of eight adults nobody ate the dinner that was provided and I know this is replicated throughout the hospital.
Hospitals waste thousands of euros every year on buying food and then disposing of tonnes of it. I was recently in New York in a gourmet soup bar which offered 15 different soups and a taste of one before you made your choice. I propose that a rethink of the food policy in hospitals is undertaken.
Providing a range of wonderful nutritious soups with bread would be more cost effective and more appetising to sick people and is easy to serve.
I know soup is served but a wider range of tasty soups could easily be introduced. This could be combined with smoothies and fresh juices which I know are expensive but if made to order would not be wasted and would provide healing vitamins.
Baked potatoes with toppings, lasagne and oven baked dishes are more suitable for hot meals. Soggy veg, dry mashed potato and tasteless meat are the norm at the moment and are not eaten.
In many private hospitals individual menus are offered and this helps to reduce food waste as people choose what they like to eat. All around the country relatives are bringing in their loved ones take-aways and junk food to eat because the food is generally appalling.
Please let us stop wasting food, starving our sick people of nutrition’s and spending thousands disposing of leftover food!
Services (local)
I have seen the deferment of building of a hospital ward with private rooms for cystic fibrosis patients by two years by the government this week. There are a lot of newly built private housing estates that are sitting vacant and unsold perhaps these could be used as a care centre for these patients.
The government should look at existing buildings and use the resources for staffing. Cystic fibrosis patients should not have to fight for proper services, they should be allowed to use their energies on keeping healthy.
There might be new vacant nursing homes that were built offering tax incentives for investors who no longer want them.
Technology
Irish government should set up its own mobile phone network for all texts, phone calls, and emails in all government bodies. It could be used at a reduced rate with a lot of savings.
Technology
How do we ramp up web based technology? There is a steep learning curve to get everyone to a basic level of using new technology post broadband delivery.
We should fast-track this learning curve. We might have a national certification (basic - red, intermediate - amber and advanced -green) so that citizens could use new web technology quicker. The basic standard might include, setup email account + send email with attachment, setup e-business account ESB, Road Tax.
The advanced standard would be the aim and each year the advanced people would have to discover new sites / new technology. Maybe there should be a tax credit or some reward for being able to demonstrate “e learning”.
A bit like in the Gaeltacht where you get a grant for being able to speak Irish. If we leave people to their own devices it would take years to get to the basic level. People might need that push as otherwise valuable time will be lost.
Tourism
Encourage people to holiday at home in Ireland - make the accommodation cheaper per night for families/groups, build outdoor activities for teenagers e.g. high rope course in govt owned forests etc like they have done in England with ‘Go Ape’.
Often there is little for teenagers to do here across all counties. Build suggested routes and activities for each accommodation place so it is easy for visitors to have fun and spend their money here in Ireland. We were in Kerry last year and could find no assault courses or canoeing etc.
Transport
Dublin Port Tunnel system could apply to all tolled roads. The tunnel is half empty most of the time. We need to “sweat the assets”. So when capacity drops below 80% at any time of the day the toll price should drop in proportion to the drop to encourage full capacity use.
This means if you commute to Dublin and reach the tunnel entrance say before 7am you pay 50c, by 8AM you pay €2, at 10 am it’s back to 50c etc.
This will encourage use, improve revenue for the operator, save time and money for the commuter and increase efficiency. A display at the entrance to the tunnel will tell you how much you pay so that you can avoid it if it’s too expensive.
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