I've sent on link

I sent the link to this web site on to every member of the Dail today via the http://www.contact.ie/ web site.  the text of my mail was as follows:

Please be advised of a new web-site set up to turn the negative sentiment existing in Ireland today into something positive by allowing ordinary citizens to put forward suggestions on how we might fix of country's woes.  I will be advising visitors to the site via a post, that I have forwarded on this mail.  I will also be suggesting to them that they check with their local representatives to ensure that their opinions, views and suggestions are not being ignored.

The link for the Fixing Ireland Site :

www.fixingireland.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

There needs to be a new political party - led by a young, energetic and forward looking representative who has zero experience in politics. Why? We need someone who is straight talking, convincing and full of ideas - skills which our system has bred out of our politicans over the last thirty years.

We need a new party populated by people with no ties to the current political class, bringing an end to the gombeen localism which dominates at the moment. Now the question is - how does one fund and start a new party?

Anonymous (A) said...

Okay, Can I just as people to try and think more positively, I know it won't fix every thing but it would sure go a long way to restoring this country self belief...positivity attracts lots of positivity and therefore it stands to reason that the more negative thoughts we put out there the more negativity we attract and we end up in a vicious cycle of negativity. We have to believe this country is a great country. ;-) can we give it a shot. 1) we live in an amazing country with so much to offer. ..who's next..

Jakarta said...

your blog looks good!

Liam Said.. In response to Tim

Point one I can agree with, but it seems very much in conflict with points 2-5.

One can fairly safely assume that all the tax that one requires is available, however it is raised (if you average over a long enough time frame). So what remains is deciding on the purpose of taxation, which seems to be two-fold:

1: Taxation as an instrument to influence behaviour. What kind of activities should the state seek to encourage/discourage through tax policy?

2: Taxation as a means of funding public spending. What do we want this money spent on? More of the same just more refined, or should we really be thinking about the type of country that can be created through the unique opportunities afforded by state expenditure?

I'm of the view that the finer details of whom is taxed and by how much become apparent if one can address these two questions.

Neil said... On Sending Link on

Hang in there. Rome wasn't built in a day. Tomorrow's a new day. Close but no cigar (Oh, scratch that one) OK, can't think of any more idioms so just keep at it.

Jazzygal said... On Sending Link On

Disappointing but don't give up! Sometimes, it seems we are a nation of giver-outers.... give us an opportunity to actually be part of something that someone, somewhere, might listen to and then we become a nation of... shutter uppers!

Keep tweeting ... and I'll go share on facebook. For what it's worth....

xx Jazzy

Sending link On

I was going to forward the link for this site on to all members of the Dail and Seanad today.  Given however, that there are only 6 comments and 5 followers, I will leave it till the end of the month.  If its still at this level then, I'll admit defeat, bow to the cynics, admit they were right and shut it down.  I would have worked hard on this, but if nobody is interested then so be it, I'll have tried to do a little bit to fix Ireland, not much, I know that, but all a man with my current limited reasources could do. Thanks to those who have submitted comments and followed to date.

In response to Tim

Evert Bopp said...


OK, let me weigh in here:

1) How about a flat tax system? Everyone pays an equal share of their income towards tax & there are *no* tax deductions. This alone will create a huge savings by removing all the costs of collecting tax, tax audits etc.

2) Why? Did these people not voluntarily decide to take out one or more mortgages? What about those who decided not to get in on the property frenzy? Do they get penalised by omission?

3) Again why? What's wrong with a salary over 100k perse? Are you referring to public sector wages, private sector wages or both? Either way an absolute cap on salary levels is counter productive. Just make sure that everyone performs according to their salary level.

4) This is also unworkable. Just make those who sign of on the expenses as liable to be held responsible for fraud as the person committing the fraud.

5) The stud-fee and artist tax exemption both have to be removed. The tax exile rule needs overhaul and scrutiny.

Anonymous said...

When you say cap all salaries at €100k, would this apply to everyone in the country or just those in receipt of a salary from the State?

Conor said...

Incentivise capital.

Introduce a tax relief on new capital invested in existing or new businesses where such businesses create employment. The tax relief could be linked to the amount of employment businesses generate.

This scheme could replace the existing BES schemes.

With a bit more thought, it could be a very attractive idea to "kick start" the business sector of the economy.

The tax relief would be against all income limited to 100% of the capital invested. It could be further restricted if such capital investments weren't deemed to create any meaningful employment.

Jobs will mean increased demand, improved tax revenues, lower Govt. expenditure on welfare etc etc.

Anonymous said...

The Irish Economy is taking up by one large monster 'Anglo'. It is killing us. At this stage i.e. 2 years later, it looks like most of the damage is done and the only way is for people in their 30's plus to pay higher taxes etc each year until they retire. It is quite depressing.

Instead of listening to banks, celebrity business people, stock brokers or politicians we should concentrate on listening to Economists like Brian Lucey and Constantin Gurdgiev. Do what they tell us, they are right 85% of the time.

Tim said...

1) Apply a fair and equitable tax system across all sectors, instead of the one in place.

2) Take the €Billions back from the banks and give government bank drafts, made out to the respective lenders, to all of the people in default. (Homes only, not developments of holiday homes). They then pay the banks, get out of trouble and the banks get their money anyway. The markets then see less risk in the bank of toxicity.+1

3) Cap all salaries at €100k and divert anything over that to the exchequer for community and social improvement, including education and health, care of the elderly, transport infrastructure and green technologies.

4) Remove the administration of expenses from the control of the Oireachtas members and their civil servants. They cannot continue to decide their own incomes. Alter the Constitution to place this under the aegis of the President, who would preside over a special body to avouch these expenses.

5) Remove the Tax-Exile provision ENTIRELY and also the stud-fees exemption from the equestrian industry and Artist earning over €1m pa

For what its worth.

So here we are, Ireland is in a little bit of a mess isn't it?  There are a lot of very angry and frustrated people out there and this blog is a way I hope, to turn that anger and frustration around and make something positive out of it.  I want this blog to be a forum where people can voice not only their annoyance and pain at the situation that we find ourselves in, but where they can put forward their hopes and aspirations for where we can bring this country.  If you have a suggestions for topics you want covered please leave a comment.  Here's my suggestions to maybe get the ball rolling:

• NAMA
• Anglo
• Unemployment
• The bank bailout
• Education
• The Health Service

To give you some background, I have been unemployed since June 2009, I'm trying to start a new business, I have no political or religious afilliations all I want is to live, earn and raise my children in the country of my birth.  I want to be optimistic. I want all of us to be optimistic.  I don't intend this site to me a platform for my rantings, I have a separate site for that, my only role will be to administer the blog.  This site is for you, please help all of us by using it.

Will this "forum" work?  I don't know, I've met with some cynicism already and thats ok, its perfectly understandable but somebody has got to do something and this is the only thing I can think of.  As I say in the about section, I intend to send the link for this site to all of our politicians on a regular basis, they may ignore it they may not but at least they will be given the chance to gauge peoples views, frustrations and suggestions on how we may fix Ireland.

Get your comments in now folks, if any of you techies or arty types want to make suggestions on how to make the site more attractive, please let me know.