Archive for March, 2009

Provide a place where the unemployed can make use of desks, IT equipment, phones consultants, tutorials and mentors. If someone wants to avail of the free facilities they submit a business plan, if they are accepted, they must sit down with their mentor each week to discuss direction. Their startup company will remain property of…

Imports into Ireland are VAT free – locally produced products incur VAT. In a business environment where cash is all important – if a product is same price imported or home produced – the purchaser will be better of by the amount of the VAT – 21.5% in cash flow – if they import. Having…

The answer to the funding of Education is very simple. Remove the “fat” from the curriculum – ie make the likes of algebra, English Prose & Poetry, Irish, etc optional extras. Reduce history to basic with more detailed an optional extra. Reduce(increase) languages to TEFL type standard where the emphasis is on speaking and grammar….

The video shop in Monaghan town is packed with young men. This is where local people come to go online. There are three banks of computers, all busy. The two lads beside me have their CVs out, trying to send them to as many prospective employers as possible. They’ve both been on the dole since Christmas.

It seems to me that the main culprit of the credit crunch—of which we all know there are many—is the credit rating agencies. Triple A ratings given to products related to sub-prime mortgages in the states made their local problem a global problem. Why is it that only a handful of rating agencies get to…

My idea that would be used with others, is to raise the base rate of tax by 3%-5%, which would be a pay cut for all, I know, even the worst off in society. This money would then be used to offer companies who have not made any layoffs or redundancies a tax break on…

Zero tax on all new Irish businesses. Give new Irish businesses a fighting chance by not taxing them anything for the first 3 years. This post was submitted by Dave.

Why not abolish transition year? This would automatically free up about 7-10% of teachers. Either save money on their Salaries or redeploy them to special needs and remedial teaching. Transition year can be very disruptive to serious students. Donal This post was submitted by Donal.

David, I note alot of the current problem is people are not spending in the economy. I know it is necessary that the goverent need to collect taxes and need money urgently but is it not more beneficial to get people to spend money in Ireland which might help retain jobs and give a higher…

Last St Patrick’s Day, the ‘New York Post’ published an article I wrote for them about the rejuvenating power of the diaspora. A few years back, it seemed to me that the great Irish tribe was an unbelievable asset to the country. Yet just 18 months ago, when we thought we were invincible, such ideas…