Government to implement useful ideas from public

ALLOWING RECIPIENTS of public funds to rollover unspent budgets to end a “use it or lose it” approach, is among the 17 ideas to be implemented by the Government as a result of an online campaign.

The proposals were submitted by members of the public through a website set up to find ways out of the economic downturn.

The Ideas Campaign was started by former journalist Aileen O’Toole last March and received more than 5,000 submissions.

A shortlist of 44 ideas was then assessed by a group of business people and given to Taoiseach Brian Cowen and political parties.

Other ideas to be acted on by the Government are the creation of a volunteer corps to engage the unemployed in community work without losing their benefits, and pre-printing “or generic equivalent” on all prescriptions to facilitate cheaper generic drug use.

Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Conor Lenihan said the Government was “keen to act on as many of these ideas as quickly as possible”.

Mr Lenihan said he would put forward some of the 27 other proposals in the coming months. The ideas reflected the “commitment and energy of the Irish people”.

The 17 big ideas: Government to act

• End 'use it or lose it' approach to public funding
• Create volunteer corps without loss of unemployment benefit
• Facilitate use of generic drugs
• Enable community groups to 'employ' volunteers effectively
  
• Encourage schools to organise transition year trips within Ireland
  
• Earlier access for unemployed to education schemes
• One-stop shop for start-ups
• Teach business skills as part of all PhD education
• Change job seekers' allowance to incentivise placement of graduates
• Make exercise space and outdoor equipment available
• Get maximum value from the public property portfolio
• Developing an 'Ireland' brand to attract international students
  
• Increase eLearning opportunities
• Promote Ireland as a green food island
• Explore greater flexibility for small-scale public sector procurement
• Encourage early retirement in the public sector
• Facilitate career breaks, shorter working week in public sector