Comments on: An Idea

By: How to counter-act housing | Irish Election

How to counter-act housing | Irish Election — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:36:46 +0000

[...] what can the government do. Nearly a year ago I floated the idea of reintroducing the Bank Levy. As being lacking in idea’s I am bring it up [...]

By: Irish Election Pre-Budget at Irish Election

Irish Election Pre-Budget at Irish Election — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:05:59 +0000

[...] So with all the parties launching their pre-budget proposals. What would the readers of Irish Election like to see. I have previously mentioned. A tax on light bulbs, reducing VAT and re-introducing the bank levy and allowing banks to write off venture capital in start-ups against this levy. Any other ideas. [...]

By: Keith Gaughan

Keith Gaughan — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 03:25:31 +0000

Not to mention helping to rid us of our dangerous overdependence on direct foreign investment and multinationals.

By: Cian

Cian — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 16:46:52 +0000

More start-ups means, more jobs means, more tax, means more spending increases, more tax cuts and means happy days.

I think your right and small medium enterprise offers more opportunities to workers for expression and individual creativity (the oil to the economies wheel).

By: Jack M

Jack M — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 14:25:39 +0000

Simon, this is indeed a good idea.

With regard to the bank levy, I can’t see that being a runner. Simply because the banks are being driven by consumers and a little stiffer competition, perhaps an offshoot of regulation in the Irish Financial sector actually working. I cite account and loan switching being the main vehicle/driver for this.

Free banking was the latest fad in the finance world. I think competition here from RBS and hopefully HSBC in the future will energise competition a little more.

Something I’ve been looking at is the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s and An Taoiseach’s Patent Policy and the various (sic) antiquated laws surrounding same.

Professor Michael Porter (World Economic Forum, National Competitiveness Committee https://members.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/index.htm) presents a few interesting set of studies on the most competitive economies in the world and the vast levels of patent registration which take place and effect in those countries. Ireland is but a minnow on the scale. The last time I saw him here he spoke of the major concerns with competitiveness with regard to Ireland’s poor infrastructure and of course the impending migration of global investment to the New Eastern Block Tigers where education and labour force costs are far cheaper than those currently on offer in Ireland.

Reformation of the Corporation Tax and general incentives should be analysed. The main problem that will arise is the EU effect.

On a different theme:

I recently asked myself (while thinking of my vote at the next election), if I was the chairman of a board of directors of a company ‘Ireland Inc.’ who would I hire to run each function?

The answers at the cabinet level are all very similar to those in power at the moment. I found this disappointing to say the least but there seems to be a lack of feasible opposition at the moment to the current captains of the ship. That is without sailing the ship terribly off on a left wing course.

PS: No I wouldn’t have Bono manage it either, I think that’s just a load of ‘old hat’.