Here is my 0.02 cents ideas (bit broke at the moment)

FLievre

I come from a larger country than Ireland. I have been there for a while now... 15 years. And there is something I came to realize...
I know what I'm about to write will not please a few people... Most likely take some abuse... Being called names... But well... I don't really care... So there it is:
Maybe it is time that the Irish people and politics think of Ireland as the center of the universe.
You got counties and provinces in this country. This is fair. This is part of the heritage but please look at the size of the country... It is as big as my back pocket when it's empty (which happens a lot lately).
Still a lot of matters a being dealt by county councils. Well, the past few months have shown how good they are to deal with problems...
Now you might say that they didn't have the funds to deal with these problems... That is true. But they also didn't have the brains to do so. Not their fault though. Nope.
Ireland is too small to be managed in the way it is right now. Any decisions should be centralized and dealt with by the government and not at county level.
- Mid western health board? Wester health board? Easter health board? That is bull! What you need is one centralized health board!
This is just an example.
Now comes another problem...
In order to achieve that you would need a government that is composed of proper politics. Not the upgraded pig farmers that you have at the moment. I mean... Who are they? Before I traveled last year they managed to get old people parading in the streets of Dublin and other cities... When I came back a few months after that they are still in charge. Can someone explain?
What is needed is a tougher government. There is a need for radical changes in the way people think and act. Here is a few things:
Schools:
Remove any religious involvements from the schools. Schools are a place where children should get an education about what will help them in the future. Help them to be better at what they want to become. School isn't the place to learn about god and all that. That is the job of priests on Sundays.
Housing - Accommodations
As it stand the price of renting in this country pretty much vary in function of your face. New rules needed. The price of renting and buying should be targeted and rules by the government. What do I mean by that? Simple. Let's take an example. A two bedroom flat will have a fixed range of price, let say in between 350 and 550 euros according to size. And that is it. No matter where it is, no matter what's in it. Of course this would have to be thought of before applying but that is where a proper government will come handy.
Work - Employment
First of, mandatory retirement at the age of 60.
Introduction of Social Security.
Introduction of military service not to create a conscript army but so that young people coming out of schools can get experience in their field of work or even learn a job. Also they could get their driving license for free. One year won't hurt them. I did it, made great friends, and got all my driving licenses for free.
Many roads, buildings, etc needs to be redone. Plenty of work.
Justice
Judges shall apply the law and not define it.
Laws needs to be tougher. Life sentence should be life sentence and 12 years with good conduct.

I have many other ideas but that would be too long.. Oh and on a lighter note... Television would change too... Network two would actually become a real TV channels and not a VCR playing tapes of cartoons all day.:P

Highly Salami

FLievre wrote: »

Housing - Accommodations
..... A two bedroom flat will have a fixed range of price, let say in between 350 and 550 euros according to size. And that is it. No matter where it is, no matter what's in it. ...

This doesnt make sensea and it doesnt happen anywhere else in the world (even in communist countries) afaik. Some properties will always be more desirable than others of the same size and so command a greater rent.

FLievre wrote: »

Network two would actually become a real TV channels and not a VCR playing tapes of cartoons all day.:P

This is no longer that case, network two has been replaced by RTE2 (which is a VCR playing tapes of cartoons all day.:P)

Red_Marauder

FLievre wrote: »

- Mid western health board? Wester health board? Easter health board? That is bull! What you need is one centralized health board!

You mean... the HSE?

Before I traveled last year they managed to get old people parading in the streets of Dublin and other cities... When I came back a few months after that they are still in charge. Can someone explain?

The people who were marching got what they wanted. Job done as far as they are concerned.

Schools:
Remove any religious involvements from the schools. Schools are a place where children should get an education about what will help them in the future. Help them to be better at what they want to become. School isn't the place to learn about god and all that. That is the job of priests on Sundays.

They're entitled to run a school as long as they agree to teach the national curriculum and comply with other relevant standards. If they teach religion alongside this, it's their business - it is their school.

You can't blame the religious schools for owning schools the Government relies upon.

Housing - Accommodations
As it stand the price of renting in this country pretty much vary in function of your face. New rules needed. The price of renting and buying should be targeted and rules by the government. What do I mean by that? Simple. Let's take an example. A two bedroom flat will have a fixed range of price, let say in between 350 and 550 euros according to size. And that is it. No matter where it is, no matter what's in it. Of course this would have to be thought of before applying but that is where a proper government will come handy.

You mean removing competition from the property market? Please tell me you're not talking about private rental accomodation here...

Justice
Judges shall apply the law and not define it.

So who decides that a law is not constitutional then? Politicians?

I have to say I don't have any faith in these suggestions, bar maybe the one about Network 2.

FLievre

But it does happen in France. When I went back last year I was staying at my sis in Burgundy and I was looking for flats in the Paris suburb and I was looking at the range of prices and they were all around 400 bux. I thought it was strange so talked to my sis about it and it is regulated in that way. Location doesn't fully apply, they use a "Plafond" (ceiling) system and the price are totaly regulated by law. And guess what... It works. I think that would work wonders here, look at the amount of empty spaces around. I live in Ennis and the amount of empty houses is crazy but the people are looking for way too much money for the spaces.

FLievre

Red_Marauder wrote: »

You mean... the HSE?

The people who were marching got what they wanted. Job done as far as they are concerned.
They're entitled to run a school as long as they agree to teach the national curriculum and comply with other relevant standards. If they teach religion alongside this, it's their business - it is their school.

You can't blame the religious schools for owning schools the Government relies upon.

You mean removing competition from the property market? Please tell me you're not talking about private rental accomodation here...


So who decides that a law is not constitutional then? Politicians?

I have to say I don't have any faith in these suggestions, bar maybe the one about Network 2.

"The people who were marching got what they wanted. Job done as far as they are concerned. "
The government tried to screw them again three months ago... Same people same tactic.

"You can't blame the religious schools for owning schools the Government relies upon."
This should be the opposite...

"You mean removing competition from the property market? Please tell me you're not talking about private rental accomodation here..."
At price levels yes. Look around and how many empty houses do you have?? Got people sleeping in the streets and all these empty spaces... Greedy people need to understand that they had fun for the past 15 years but that is it.

"I have to say I don't have any faith in these suggestions, bar maybe the one about Network 2"
Apparently change has come... It is called RTE2 now:D

slimjimmc

FLievre wrote: »

First of, mandatory retirement at the age of 60.

Many countries are actually considering increasing the retirement age in order to reduce the state pension bill.

FLievre wrote: »

Introduction of Social Security.

We already have Social Security, is your proposal different?

FLievre wrote: »

Introduction of military service not to create a conscript army but so that young people coming out of schools can get experience in their field of work or even learn a job. Also they could get their driving license for free. One year won't hurt them. I did it, made great friends, and got all my driving licenses for free.

Not a bad idea but any suggestion of compulsary military service doesn't sit well with the Irish populace, optional service might work though especially if employers look on it favourably.

FLievre wrote: »

Many roads, buildings, etc needs to be redone. Plenty of work.

Plenty of work but no money.

FLievre

Problem with increasing the age limit is that it works in favour of unemployment, well that is what I think.
You do not have social security here, you got the medical card but that has nothing to do with social security. People who work will actually benefit from social security up to a certain level that level is obviously increased or decreased if the person is in old age or unemployed and also according to the treatment needed.
I know about the military service, it might have to be renamed and revamped as not to show as being a soldier thing.
There is money around... It is just that it is badly used at the moment.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

FLievre

"I'd rather see the local authorities have more power, and the Oireachtas less."
Problem here is the population of each counties, some counties will need more than others, need over planning, we have seen this winter that it doesn't work.

"That was accomplished when the HSE came into being on 1 January 2005. Whether centralizing the regional health boards was a good idea or not is still up for debate."
Totally true but the problems are still at county levels and not dealt with at a national level

"Operating a democracy means that a pig farmer can become a TD if the electorate votes him in to office. I'm not sure what can be done about this."
Simple, apply a vote of confidence after two years. I know it sounds unreal but it does appear in other countries and that keep governments on their toes.

"How about privatizing schools so that each school can be run according to its own ethos and curriculum? Then parents can choose between schools based on what each one offers, not by what the Church and government decide."
What I meant here is that free schools would be laic (don't know the proper word laicity?) meaning no religion at all... So that there would more time to learn the important things. Catholic schools would then become private which doesn't mean better.

"If we enable your system, the government will only set prices at an artificially high rate so as to benefit their developer cronies. Prices should be set by the free market."
It works fine in France, just have to be reasonable, just make a study on the past five years that will give you a good idea on the branch to apply.

"We have an aging population, meaning that in future we will have more elderly people depending on fewer young working people. Your solution is to make people work less?"
Absolutely, more work for the younger. That way they will stay...

"As opposed to paying a whopping €75 for the driving test? Hardly a rationale to spend a year doing compulsory military service."
That is all driving licenses... And at least there is no waiting queues...
and also as opposed as 90 buxs a week for a year doing nothing...:(

MikeC101

FLievre wrote: »

You do not have social security here, you got the medical card but that has nothing to do with social security.

We have PRSI and Social Welfare, various payments for disabilities, supplements for people who are working but earning under a certain amount and so on - what's that if not social security?

FLievre wrote: »

People who work will actually benefit from social security up to a certain level that level is obviously increased or decreased if the person is in old age or unemployed and also according to the treatment needed.

Illness Benefit, Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Incapacity Supplement, Widow/Widowers Pension (Contributory and Non Contributory), Treatment Benefit, Child Benefit, Family Income Supplement, State Pension...I could go on.

Or are you referring to how Social Security is implemented in the States versus here or something?

FLievre wrote: »

"You can't blame the religious schools for owning schools the Government relies upon."
This should be the opposite...

Hmmm..."You can blame the non religious schools for not owning schools the Government doesn't rely upon" ?

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

FLievre

donegalfella wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

What I meant was that if it works in a big country there is no reasons why it wouldn't work in a small one... That goes back to my original post....

FLievre

MikeC101 wrote: »

We have PRSI and Social Welfare, various payments for disabilities, supplements for people who are working but earning under a certain amount and so on - what's that if not social security?



Illness Benefit, Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Incapacity Supplement, Widow/Widowers Pension (Contributory and Non Contributory), Treatment Benefit, Child Benefit, Family Income Supplement, State Pension...I could go on.

Or are you referring to how Social Security is implemented in the States versus here or something?



Hmmm..."You can blame the non religious schools for not owning schools the Government doesn't rely upon" ?

Social security is for EVERYONE not only part of the population...
Social security in the States??? Canada you meant?

Red_Marauder

FLievre wrote: »

That is all driving licenses... And at least there is no waiting queues...
and also as opposed as 90 buxs a week for a year doing nothing...:(

Are you talking about the dole? The dole is like twice that, its about 200 euro.
No waiting queues isn't a good enough reason.

I really think these fix-all ideas are too vague and not really thought out. For example, you want to remove competition from the property market - don't you see what an impossibly backwards situation that would be right now. I'm not sure what the specifics of the situation in France are, but this isn't France and we are in a property assets crisis... the last thing we need to do is devalue these assets further.

Your ideas on early retirement make no sense - you want to hurry certain people into state pensions and into other state benefits to take other people off the dole. There are a number of problems here - not everyone who retires is replaced, and you may well just end up with high dole queues and higher pension queues as well as a lowered tax intake.

Young people can emigrate for a few years, lots of people my age, especially given the qualifications we have, tend to see it as an adventure (myself included). I see no harm in encouraging that kind of thing in the short term as opposed to increasing the numbers of people out of work, not contributing to tax, and receiving benefits.

MikeC101

FLievre wrote: »

Social security is for EVERYONE not only part of the population...

I don't get what you mean by this. I'm not trying to be smart, I genuinely don't understand the point you're making. Are you saying EVERYONE should benefit from social security in some way, regardless of their income / personal status?

FLievre wrote: »

Social security in the States??? Canada you meant?

How the hell do I know? You just referred to "Social Security" without elaborating what you think that encompasses, and said you're from a country bigger than Ireland. I mentioned the US because it's one place I'm aware refers to "Social Security." Just because you have a fixed idea of what social security means doesn't mean your idea is the universally accepted definition. The term means something different in the US as opposed to Sweden for example. In Ireland I take it to mean PRSI and associated state benefits.

FLievre

What do you have at the moment in Ireland isn't Social Security. Social security is protection for everyone living in the country. Whatever their age or occupations. You have a salary percentage take as the PRSI but everyone will benefit from that. How does it work:
- As here, money is taken from wages.
- You're sick, you go to the doctor and if you are working you will be refunded 75% of the consultation and a certain percentage on the medications according on what they are. This work the same if you are employed or not. If you need to take time off work, you will receive 75% of your salary during that time (anti slacker rule). For pensioners itis (most of the time 100% refunded).
- The refund is made as soon as you provide the necessary paperwork (provided by doctors and pharmacist) to the Social security office, this is different from VHI for example.
- The amount of money that you will receive in case of loss of employment is calculated on your last salary and the amount of years worked. This is no fixed and not given according to your family situation as it is now.
This is how social security work in any country where this system is in place. Any others, like here or the States are based on private insurances (VHI, BUPA) and have nothing to do with a social security scheme.
Hope this clarify.

I.Am.A.Panda

First we need to analyse what does and doesn't work before we centralise or decentralise certain authorities.

With too much centralisation, too much focus is on the big picture, so the cry from the average person is ignored.

With too much decentralisation, a council can become ineffective. There is no central authority pushing them to do anything, and as well as that a local council may lack the resources to fix a problem independently.

So, we need some sort of balance. Personally I favour an American system, whereby the counties can make decisions and laws, but must follow the constitution. If each county has a mini-parliament, then less people are needed in the Oireachtas, and party politics becomes less effective (e.g. "Vote for this bill and you get €3 Mil. + for new roads!" wouldn't exist as much) , ergo things run more smoothly.

The only problem is in low population counties like Fermanagh, Leitrim, Roscommon, etc. but some resolution could be met with some provincial authority.

The only state organs that need to be fully centralised are military.

Taxipete29

FLievre wrote: »

What I meant was that if it works in a big country there is no reasons why it wouldn't work in a small one... That goes back to my original post....

The exact opposite of this is more likely to be true