This is a proposal to set up an agency to establish a Consumer Product Repair and Reuse Symbol and an associated product Reusability Rating Scheme. The proposal seeks to help generate long term employment opportunities by changing existing consumer purchasing practice and producer production policy from the existing low value throw-away /disposable model to a high value repairable-reusable-upgradeable model. The Repair and Reuse Symbol will incorporate a Reusability Rating Scheme that will indicate to consumers the plausibility and practicality of repairing and reusing a particular consumer product. This will include the financial and practical viability of back to base repair and home repair, as well as purchasing spare parts. The Symbol and product Reuse Rating can be used as a Marketing Tool for appropriate Irish made products. The mission of the proposed Reuseability symbol and Reuse Rating scheme is to: • inform and change consumer purchasing behaviour so that consumers More...

We have some of the finest renewable energy & precipitation sources in the world. We also have some of the mot beautiful scenery in the world. However most of these resorces remain unharvested & when we eventually do start generating from renewable sources our infrastructure is not good enough to make power export a viable option. We could feasably export water but at times we can't even cope with our own water needs. Our beautiful scenery can often be only seen safely by car as we have no footpaths or cycle lanes and the scenery is scared by the proliferation of telephone & electric cables on telegraph poles. We also have a massive human resourse out of work in the construction industry. The Utilities Interlink is proposed to provide a realistic and achievable system to link utilities to all our towns and cities while providing cycle lanes & footpaths. At the moment all our utilities follow there own tracks around the country. However all centres of population are linked More...

We have some of the finest renewable energy & precipitation sources in the world. We also have some of the mot beautiful scenery in the world. However most of these resorces remain unharvested & when we eventually do start generating from renewable sources our infrastructure is not good enough to make power export a viable option. We could feasably export water but at times we can't even cope with our own water needs. Our beautiful scenery can often be only seen safely by car as we have no footpaths or cycle lanes and the scenery is scared by the proliferation of telephone & electric cables on telegraph poles. We also have a massive human resourse out of work in the construction industry. The Utilities Interlink is proposed to provide a realistic and achievable system to link utilities to all our towns and cities while providing cycle lanes & footpaths. At the moment all our utilities follow there own tracks around the country. However all centres of population are linked More...

My proposal if for tax credits to consumers purchasing furniture and products made from recycled materials and manufactured using renewable energies. Why is Ireland ready to take on the challenge? To develop design throughout Ireland using recycled materials and promoting renewable energy use. Proposal promotes green incentives What could really make it work? It could have pilot competitions with schools and colleges and be sponsored by say Green Star and local authorities How could it create employment? Development and research and promoting design using recycled materials Why is now the right time? Ireland needs further develop its waste management and such an incentive would make young designers or apprentices aware of the opportunities of recycling materials. Also to develop renewable energy and the sector

By investing in children we can secure our future.

businessdesigntools.ie proposes a design led Collaborative Enterprise Model for the Your Country Your Call submission . It works by empowering motivated communities to successfully generate new innovative and sustainable enterprise. By re-interpreting existing resources and networks in new and creative ways, it creates exciting and viable, new business opportunities. Its particular structure permits each county to benefit equally from its use. Each year an estimated 100 plus new innovative start up companies will be set up using this model . Each company will have the full engagement and support of their local communities and third level institutions .

'SOS' is a Social Outdoor Space for Transition year and Senior students of Secondary schools. SOS is a generically designed space that can be installed on all Secondary School Campuses. 'SOS' - The universal plea for help. Social Learning is an important aspect of development which is often forgotten about but is an essential part of how we communicate and exist together. 'SOS' = break / rest period / interval / (gaelic) We note that the Irish Architecture Foundation is acknowledged as originator of the programme for which the idea was developed.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you ... After viewing many other submissions I have noticed one similar comparison. Each person has a new idea on how best to recover our economy with the next big idea. I believe the government founding this plan in the form of “yourcountryyourcall” as being truly innovative and I hope that the winning idea bring many jobs and wealth to our small economy. However, I have been taught that one should never bite the hand that feeds you. The high value exports from our large manufacturers Intel, Boston Scientific, Pfizer, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Johnson & Johnson are what are keeping our economy on the tracks. We have the IDA to thank for bring these companies onto Irish soil. I appreciate a lot of these companies receive large grants from the government to come here however once they are set up and running they are often ignored and often only receive attention from the government ranks when redundancies are being announced. I have worked for two of the a More...

The application and practice of design is said to be the key to successful innovation. The ability of Irish businesses’ to utilise design as a tool for innovation will be crucial for their survival and growth in an increasingly competitive economy. Design will also play an increasingly important role for our public services and their task of meeting demand amid a financially constrained environment. Fundmentally speaking design is an inherently pragmatic discipline; this is why it is of such interest to both the public and private sectors in Ireland - it gets results. This proposal aims is to identify an actionable and achievable strategy for Ireland, which will help spark a culture of innovation. A researched and coherent plan that will reignite and sustain our business sectors, help us create new jobs, secure existing ones, and more importantly generate new opportunities and potentially new industries. It outlines 8 initiatives which can kick-start our economy and ensure sustai More...

Your building contractor asks you for a 50% deposit of €20,000.00 up front for the window manufacturer on your new house project. What do you do? What if the builder goes out of business after you give him the money? What if the window manufacturer goes out of business? The window manufacturer doesn’t trust you or the builder and won’t even order materials until he has a 50% deposit as security. The builder doesn’t trust anyone, he’s suspicious of the Employer’s reticence in parting with his money and doesn’t want to pay his sub-contractors until he secures his own payments. Welcome to the post “Celtic Tiger” world of Irish Construction.