Your Ideas

Create a new financial regulatory body with red-tape-slashing CAB-style powers – the Untouchables if you will – staffed by a small team of independent economists (I can think of one), an accountant, some coppers (with no relatives in financial institutions or Government) and a judge. Get Mary McAleese to appoint them. Do not cap bank…

Amend the electoral system to prevent the husbands, wives, sons, daughters, nephews and nieces of a TD from running for that Dail seat in the event of their death, resignation or retirement. This would help end the gombeen cronyism of our elected representatives. I would prevent another Mary Coughlan – would the voters of Cork…

Make the study of economics compulsory in secondary schools – but sweeten the pill by making it an Ordinary Level subject with honours level points for University applications. This will enhance the economic savvy of our young people and help prevent another housing market bubble. This post was submitted by JJ Tatten.

Make the study of Citizenship compulsory in primary and Secondary schools. And I don\’t mean in the old Civics class doss-hour kind of way – make them sit an exam. Create a Young Citizen of the Year showcase – along the lines of the Young Scientist of the Year – this will educate our kids…

Here\’s the idea – at present there is approx. 40 -50 bln euros in irish private pension funds. These are funds that allow the individual to divert part of their pretax income towards their retirement with the caveat that they cannot draw down the money without a tax liability until they are 65. So here\’s…

To legalize cannabis in Ireland will have two effects: – Saving expenses releasing labor effort against drug dealers or using for other tasks. – Increases income tax. Dutch goverment earns 400 million euros annually in tax revenues from \’coffee shops.\’ This post was submitted by Pedro.

Canada announced a CAD$10m investment in young entrepreneurs. This “will enable the national charity to help more than 500 aspiring young entrepreneurs start new businesses and contribute quickly to Canada’s economic recovery. In total, by 2010, more than 900 entrepreneurs will start a business as a result of the government’s funding. These 900 new businesses…

The problem with the current recession is simple – how to best distribute work and accrued benefits fairly. The two extreme methods for doing for distributing work and benefits accrued, free-market capitalism (a free-for-all) and communism (State capitalism), have clearly failed. The solution lies in between. We had this system in Ireland 50 years where…

To make Ireland a renowned centre for arts throughout the world. This is already our strength but let’s accelerate and expand all arts activities – music, literature, drama, film production, painting, sculpture, dance ,design creativity, fashion etc. The movement has already started but idea is to harness and give sustenance. We already have a drinking…

The level of fees payable by any student at third level should be linked to the fees paid by that student when at second level. If someone chooses to pay fees at second level (and the circumstances in which it is anything other than a choice are very very few, if any) then why should…