The Ideas Campaign is a grassroots initiative that is asking ordinary people across Ireland to come up with extraordinary and exciting ideas to boost the economy.
But it’s not just about business – the Ideas Campaign also wants innovative ideas for the arts, sport, and voluntary and community activity that will enrich this country.
Sandra Cribben, chief executive of Ballina Chamber, said: “The chamber is delighted to support the campaign and be associated with it as it is generating a positive atmosphere and is highlighting the entrepreneurial and survival skills of the Irish people. Even though we are in the midst of very difficult times we must look to the future and see what opportunities are out there to help our existing businesses survive and to encourage innovative ideas, Ballina Chamber encourages people to log onto the Ideas website and see for themselves a more positive approach that will encourage them in their own businesses.”
The campaign will run until March 31 and centres on a website – IdeasCampaign.ie – which will capture the public’s ideas across 19 different categories that are important to the Irish economy, gather messages of support, and provide easy-to-understand information about the Irish economy that is directly applicable to everyday life.
The Ideas Campaign wants people to be positive, to think about the solutions and not the problems. It wants people to draw from their own experiences to identify local and national ways in which Ireland can emerge from this recession and compete on the world stage.
This is a campaign by citizens, for citizens. It is independent, non-political and is being staffed by highly-qualified individuals who have been made redundant because of the recession and who are being supported by a network of volunteers.
It's not about sending your business plan or giving confidential or sensitive information — the campaign wants ideas that can be put forward for general economic recovery.
The campaign organisers also emphasise that ideas need to be practical and realistic, given the current economic crisis and the serious state of the public finances.
An advisory group, which will review the ideas and compile an action plan based on the best of them, was announced last Thursday. It comprises leading figures from business, the arts, the voluntary sector, and many other areas of society.
They include Moya Doherty of Riverdance fame, entrepreneur Sean Gallagher of Dragons' Den, former IDA chief executive Kieran McGowan, and the chief executive of Microsoft Ireland, Paul Rellis.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen has endorsed the campaign, saying: “I will ensure that ideas emerging through the screening by the independent advisory group overseeing the initiative will be fast-tracked to the Cabinet sub-committee on economic renewal for assessment and implementation, where appropriate.”
Traffic on the IdeasCampaign.ie website has exceeded all expectations since the campaign's launch. There have been more than 25,200 visits, and more than 2,300 ideas submitted via the site.
