THE SALE of airports, ports and the two main banks is proposed in a report drawn up by a group of 17 leading business and public figures.
Ireland can create 200,000 jobs over the next four years by drastically cutting spending and business costs, according to “A Blueprint for Ireland’s Recovery”, and achieve €14.4 billion in spending cuts and savings.
Ireland can and must become the most competitive euro zone country by 2016, according to the report, which proposes the appointment of a minister for competitiveness and a minister for public service reform to drive through changes. Neither minister should be a member of the Dáil but they could be appointed through the Seanad, it suggests.
Every Government department should have an advisory board from outside the public service to work with the minister, and a council of economic advisers, drawn mostly from the ranks of expert business leaders, should be established to advise the Government.
Among the growth-promoting measures proposed are a three-year corporation tax and PRSI holiday for start-up businesses, the creation of 10,000 internships in major companies and a review of third-level structures to ensure that Ireland has a single university of world standing.
It says the cost of accessing the country could be reduced by selling airports and ports to operators on condition that they significantly reduce these costs. The tourism “tax” should be abolished and commercial rates drastically reduced.
Two new commissions should be set up within three months to improve the Oireachtas and reform the public service and local government. The Seanad should be abolished “but only after the outcome of the commission reports are presented”.
The document calls for more balanced media coverage: “There needs to be a positive engagement with editorial and ownership/ senior management of media organisations in order to ensure we have balanced coverage and that good news stories are covered.”
The document goes much further than the “Bord Snip” report authored by economist Colm McCarthy by calling for a “more root and branch review” of State agencies. These should only exist where they have a specific purpose and their existence should be reviewed annually.
The word “review” appears 24 times in the 37-page document.
While 30,000 jobs would be shed by the public sector, 48,000 could be created in industry, 30,000 in construction and 30,000 in information and communication, it claims.
In addition to the €5.3 billion in savings mooted in the McCarthy report, the document claims the jobs boost from its proposals would reduce social welfare payments by about €5.5 billion annually. Greater efficiency and elimination of fraud would remove another €2.1 billion from the social welfare budget, while restructuring and the elimination of duplication in local authorities would save another €1.5 billion.
The result, the report asserts, would be 5 per cent annual growth by 2015, an end to forced emigration and the restoration of Ireland’s reputation as a great place to do business.
The document argues that without a thriving economy it is impossible for Ireland to create an equal and fair society. “The immediate challenge is to create a ‘can-do’ and ‘must-do’ ethos in Ireland. The goal must be to stimulate the economy and create jobs and thus build a fair and just society.”
Up to 5,000 jobs could be created by creating a legal basis to allow global online gaming and betting operations to be based in Ireland, the report also says.