The aim of this proposal is to show that changing a single fundamental concept of social welfare would cause a ripple effect, resulting in the following benefits to the Irish nation: • Eliminate the need for a minimum wage – Making Ireland a very competitive place for companies to locate to. • Eliminates the “I could earn more by not working” trap – Thus encouraging (and not penalizing) people for joining the workforce. • Eliminate the need for a minimum age to receive state pension – In fact this proposal would make the concept of state pension redundant.

With the numbers of people on the unemployed register dramatically increasing and job opportunities hugely limited we have to find a way to get people back to work, to maintain their moral, and keep their CVs active. It is well known that the longer you are unemployed the harder it is to get back into paid employment. However, currently, if you claim JobSeeker’s Benefit (JSB) or JobSeeker’s Allowance (JSA) you cannot work without your payment being significantly reduced, often making it financially unsound. This system has been in place for a long time but it is by its nature a negative use of the workforce. Let’s change the rules. I propose that JSB/JSA recipients give a minimum of 8 hours work a week in exchange for their payment. In return they will receive an additional minimum payment from the employer. All businesses can join the scheme, but those with businesses turning a profit will be compelled to join. This will have huge benefits for everyone involved. JobSeek More...

With the numbers of people on the unemployed register dramatically increasing and job opportunities hugely limited we have to find a way to get people back to work, to maintain their moral, and keep their CVs active. It is well known that the longer you are unemployed the harder it is to get back into paid employment. However, currently, if you claim JobSeeker’s Benefit (JSB) or JobSeeker’s Allowance (JSA) you cannot work without your payment being significantly reduced, often making it financially unsound. This system has been in place for a long time but it is by its nature a negative use of the workforce. Let’s change the rules. I propose that JSB/JSA recipients give a minimum of 8 hours work a week in exchange for their payment. In return they will receive an additional minimum payment from the employer. All businesses can join the scheme, but those with businesses turning a profit will be compelled to join. This will have huge benefits for everyone involved. JobSeek More...

I think we should firstly follow in the footsteps of the australians and start banning branding on cigarette packaging, Announce a 25% increase on cigarette taxes. This could cut down the amount of smoking related deaths by a huge amount. The law will require all tobacco products to be sold in a standard colour and style, and carry government health warnings. This would ensure that people become healthier and save the money for more important things. Secondly, we should start thinking about getting people to work for their dole. Create community projects that ensures people on the dole start getting more work experience, but still get paid to do it. The barrier we need to overcome if laziness. Create jobs through community work.

How do we revive an economy? Simple, we increase tax take. With jobs dying left, right and centre, and with consumer spending down, the powers that be have decided we need tax hikes on even the act of breathing. Or so it would seem. Now, I’m a big fan of alternative taxation. VAT and income taxes are unreliable, very variable, and critically put pressures on employers and consumers. But what’s currently happening is in addition to traditional taxation, and it’s stifling. Taxation can be a fast narrow river or a wide slow one. And I propose methods that agree on maintaining household budgets while reducing living costs. This would involve dialogue with retailers, a reduction of the minimum wage, in line with these reduced costs. We would make savings on social welfare, by stimulating employment while maintaining non-wage benefits (medical card, rent relief), and thus not requiring dramatic increases in wages (from social welfare benefits). By reducing the cost of living, those who More...

Get the people on the dole out working in their communities cleaning up and the like. They could tackle bigger jobs like improving flood defences with some of the highly skilled unemployed. This way at least those that are working can see their taxes going to some use. At the end of a trial period those that worked the best could be put on a list for county council jobs when civil servents are recruiting again.

Mission Statement Sometimes when complex problems are examined and dissected with full respect to the people involved, simplicity and understanding are the keys to a solution. I have a new source of income, without cost to the government and without expanding the public service, to secure Funding for the Education, Health, Security & Safety of Children in National Schools and Strategy for the provision of Uniforms and Book Rental Schemes The Tasks are to alleviate the problems and surmount difficulties mentioned above without seeking more funds from the Government. Tasks can be sorted into terms of importance: Immediate, Medium and Long Term. Immediate Tasks: There are 3,370 Primary Schools in Ireland. There are over 4,000 teachers on the unemployment register. 3,000 teachers employed in our schools @ €40,000 each would cost… €120Million To vaccinate sixth class against cervical cancer………………..………. €9 Million To allocate funds to Barnardos..…………..… More...

Prosperity is a continuing state of thriving, flourishing or succeeding in a healthy or wealthy way. I believe it is attainable for everybody, but then people must be willing to embrace change. Society or prosperity can then be based on the spirit of cooperation not competition. This gluaiseacht (idea) is based on creating obair (work), not employment. Work that is available for everybody both to partake in and receive. This idea is similar to the credit union movement. In which local exchanges are set up to catalogue and organise what work needs to be done, what skills are available within the community and what work people are willing to do. This takes a subtle shift in perception but can lead to true prosperity. Everybody in the county can benefit from work, that up to now has been unaffordable and unobtainable this may be anything from childminding, to getting rid of rubbish, to fixing a leaking tap, to building a house, to staffing a care centre. Employment will not necessarily More...

To effect change, small steps can and must be taken at the local level through out the country, bringing together those communities in a cohesive one, to take advantage of their unique advantages and to address the disadvantages in their area. To the benefit of all members in that community. This can be done now today in every community up and down the country, with no large cash injection needed. With and instant plus in the cost benefit analysis of a gathering in positive thinking locally and hence nationally. From today on every community on the island of Ireland’s mantra should be. THINK LOCAL ACT LOCAL (when and where possible), THINK GLOBAL.

I propose that those on the dole work for their weekly allowance, at least three days a week. Jobs can be provided to those claiming social welfare by the local council or any other business or organisation. If somebody needs a job done, they know who to call, the dole office! Those seeking help are then provided that help. There are many elderly who would love their garden trimmed or house painted, there are many on the dole that are more than capable of doing this and many other forms of work. People on the dole should have to work! They should earn their keep like everyone else is trying to do!