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April 29th, 2009
Trust but verify – The Plumber arriving on time will make us rich
If plumbers generally turned up on time. If every Doctor favoured the patient over their “business”. If more political decisions were free of bias and corruption. If quality assurance was an intrinsic part of our culture (like, say, English soccer), then we would be the wealthiest nation in the world. [...]
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April 29th, 2009
Productive Homes
Ireland’s bank’s are in a mess, our economy on its knees, immigration has turn to emigration. All around us there are ten’s of thousands of empty houses for sale that nobody want’s. These empty houses are unproductive and loosing value every day, and will continue to loose value for some time.
In time our government [...] -
April 29th, 2009
Swine flu and bank panic have similar symptoms
A few weeks ago, in a car crossing from China to Hong Kong, I caught a glimpse of what the future might hold. After the usual formalities about visas and passports, the car door was opened aggressively. The woman with a SARS mask said nothing but pointed a gun to our heads and pulled the trigger.
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April 26th, 2009
Chinese whispers down under
This is what Ballybunion is going to look like after a bit of global warming. Looking out at Bondi Beach as the big surf rolls in and the beautiful people catch the waves on a warm Sydney autumn evening, it is easy to imagine the west of Ireland in a few decades.
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April 23rd, 2009
tax deductible debt repayment
This is an idea for long term benefit. The personal debt / income ratio must be reduced now to allow normal expenditure in the future. Make the paying down of personal debt tax deductible.
How should this be financed? Two ways. Root and branch public sector expenditure cuts and an increase in [...] -
April 23rd, 2009
rebuild community spirit
My idea is to rebuild our community spirit. As huge unemployment figures will haunt us for considerable number of years and maybe even decades. The whole concept of competition will be a stumbling block for many SMEs and only the strongest and lucky ones will survive. This idea will not generate money but it will [...]
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April 23rd, 2009
Tax Credits for Public Sector Strikes
When public sector workers strike all money saved on wages during the strikes should be returned to tax-payers as a tax credit or end-of-year U.S.-style tax rebate.
The effects should be
- to reduce political pressure on the govt. to give in to public sector strikes
- to have a deterrent effect on would-be strikers themselves
- ease the [...] -
April 22nd, 2009
Banks giving us two fingers don’t deserve State bailout
Is the bank tail wagging the Irish economy dog? It is certainly beginning to feel like that. Not content to wreck the economy in the first place, the banks’ managements have now embarked on a “silent takeover” of economic policy.
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April 15th, 2009
Introduce a maximium public wage
I found out recently (on this forum) the Dutch have a maximium wage which is earned by their prime minister and nobody else in state employment can earn more…
I think this is an excellent idea and we should adopt it here….
Lets say its at EUR150,000/year
1) We already have a minimum wage, everyone knows what it [...] -
April 15th, 2009
The Innovation Advantage….
Everyone in the country should be issued a copy of Michael Porter’s “Competitive Advantage of Nations”, as necessary reading. Ireland’s advantage still lies in the relatively young, English speaking, relatively well-educated population – and its ability to tap that intellectual power for innovation. Bizarrely, Tuesday’s budget included cuts in Education. Go figure.
Celtic Tiger I (1994-2000) [...] -
April 14th, 2009
Bad debts could turn out good
Those familiar with George Orwell’s classic,1984, no doubt recognised doublespeak when they heard it last week in Dáil Eireann. In 1984, the official language of the state described things as being precisely the opposite of what they actually were. In Ireland, the Cowen administration is at the same thing. Have they no shame?
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April 12th, 2009
Household Debt Write Down -Money Amnesty
Ireland, once more unto the breach..well hold on there Mr Government and Mr Banker, just because you massively contributed to the problem does not mean you can solve the problem between you.
Wholesale write downs of Mortgages, Credit Card Debt and Personal Loans ought to be the rally cry now of us, the afflicted and debt [...] -
April 12th, 2009
NAMA Bonds
The state should introduce a compulsary Bond(15 years) in lieu of further tax hikes and cuts in social welfare and possibly backed by the newly aquired “assets” of NAMA.
I believe people would be far more inclined to suffer pain now for tanigble future gain (their Bonds maturing) rather than the current intangable reward on [...] -
April 9th, 2009
Let us not forget the current Government caused this mess
Being in the factory in China that makes Irish football shirts is a surreal place from which to comment on the Budget. But bizarre as it sounds, sitting here allows the altitude that is necessary to try to see the big picture. Not that this place is conducive to reflection: it is busy, sweaty, noisy and filthy.
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April 7th, 2009
Celtic Come Back – Irish Financial Regulation
Irish Government propose to the Euro zone members that an “Euro Zone Integrated Financial Regulatory Body” is set up under the auspices of the European Central Bank.
In turn this Body would have a permanent representative sitting on all the individual Financial Regulatory Boards of the participating Euro Zone countries.
A new dynamic Irish Regulatory Body would [...] -
April 6th, 2009
Independent Tax Commission
Much like the Central Bank, set up an independent tax commission to set tax policy in Ireland – fiscal policy is more important now than ever before because of ECB controlling monetary policy.
Advantages:
- tax policy set by full-time professionals, even perhaps a couple of economists.
- a balanced tax framework – not one dependent on property [...] -
April 6th, 2009
Standardise Public Pay to the Euro Average
The following problems are obvious to all;
(i) the economy is suffering from a lack of competitiveness and
(ii) the Government is finding it impossible to balance the books
Why not standardise pay in the public sector to the European average for that profession?
This would alleviate both problems and the money saved can be diverted into more productive [...] -
April 6th, 2009
Celtic Come Back – Fixing the Irish Banks
Shares in the 2 main Irish Banks are split A & B.
The A shares represent a good bank. The B shares represent a bad bank or property asset management company. Shares would be traded as a single entity. A and B would carry separate non transferable values and could never be worth less than [...] -
April 5th, 2009
No cash for trash, please!
While practically all of the focus this week will be on the budget, the plan to clean up the banking system will be of more long-term significance to the country. The bank clean-up goes to the core of our monetary policy. Without properly functioning banks, we will not pass any interest rates cuts onto the economy. We will have an engine, but no petrol so to speak.
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April 5th, 2009
Health Solution
Health & Policy: Reduce Healthcare Cost by Availing Nurse Led Services
Chronic diseases, especially heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, stress and cancer are the most common hazards to health in the Irish population. In addition to the direct harm they cause to individual health, they also provoke many indirect issues related to health care. [...] -
April 4th, 2009
Technology enablers….
Construction & Policy
Fibre Ducting in new houses & estates:
Every new housing and industrial development built must be built with open access infrastructure in mind. In addition to sewerage, telecoms, electricity and gas infrastructure, each new house, flat, development must include at least one 110mm empty duct going from inside the premises to the ‘kerb’. This [...] -
April 4th, 2009
Stimulate Economy
The government should incentivise people in some small way to pay off their mortgages more quickly. This would get more money into the banking system. It would also make sense for people anyway.
The exact way the government would do this could be somthing like the pension relief or the SSIA incentives. [...] -
April 4th, 2009
Raise over €33 million each year with a 10% tax on all Lotto WINS
Would it be an idea to tax the small number of people who win on the lotto each week instead of cutting programmes or taxing earnings? This could raise over €33 million each year. Sure if you win €5 and the shopkeeper hands you €4.50 you are still a winner, and who would turn [...]
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April 1st, 2009
Bad bank plan is risky business for taxpayer
Why should we pay now for the sins of our bankers? Why should we cough up any more to support these institutions that have, through their own greed and outrageous misconduct, brought the economy to the brink?
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