THE TWO winners of the Your Country, Your Call competition launched by President Mary McAleese last February will be announced this evening.
The competition’s declared aim was to find “two major proposals that, when implemented, will transform our economy – or significant elements of it – by creating jobs and opportunity”.
Dr Martin McAleese, husband of Mrs McAleese, initiated the contest.
The finalists, including O’Brien’s Sandwich Bars founder Brody Sweeney, spent Wednesday and yesterday presenting their proposed projects to the judging panel chaired by former EU commissioner David Byrne.
Finalists’ proposals included Mr Sweeney’s idea to create a “super brand” to market Irish tourism and food.
Screenwriter and digital media consultant Neil Leyden proposed an opportunity for Ireland to become a global media hub through the creation of an Irish Content Industry Association.
Gordan Hyland proposed the establishment of an intellectual property-based financial securities market. Peter Enda Kavanagh’s proposal involved the installation of solar electricity generation panels on existing wind farms.
Finalists Cianán Clancy and Colm Mac Fhlannacha’s proposed a Data Island Strategy, to build a “world-beating entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem around digital services aimed at positioning Ireland at the forefront of its associated spin-off industries”.
Mrs McAleese, who is patron of the competition, will present the winners with €100,000 each at an event in the Aviva stadium.
Your Country Your Call was run by An Smaoineamh Mór Ltd, which was set up to run the contest. The company says a development fund of “up to €500,000” is also available to implement each of the ideas.
Last August, An Smaoineamh Mór sought a contribution of €300,000 from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. A spokesman for the competition told The Irish Times no funds had yet been paid to An Smaoineamh Mór by the department but a “mechanism” had been put in place for payment.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation said earlier this month “formal arrangements” were being put in place to allow a payment to be made. It did not respond to a request for further details yesterday.