Brendan Way Democracy

There are different political systems, the most popular being the Capitalist one which declines equality and is steeped in corruption.

The communist system is also unjust and corruption ridden.

The present capitalist system looks after a small elite section of society who controls it, the total social system or communism does likewise. Both of these systems is a failure because the world in general is bankrupt; yet the elite in both the Communism and Capitalist worlds are very wealthy.

The capitalist system creates wealth, rightly controls and manages that wealth; a government's job is to tax the wealth and distribute the taxes equally for the benefit of its entire people. Governments must be impartial and tax fairly, in the present system this is not happening because government members are of the wealthy elite and they unjustly protect and control the wealth for themselves and their cohorts. They tax all sections of the community yet the greatest benefit goes to the wealthy.

The system as it is, looks after the people whom become part of it; even the hardest of socialist politicians, who oppose the unjust system change and work in the defence of it, once they become part of it, because they enjoy the fruits it has to offer.

Politicians within the present political system will not reform it in favour of the people, because the system controls them and the rich control the system.

Total-socialism (communism) is a complete failure because the government makes and controls all wealth; governments cannot create wealth they can only create the climate for creating the wealth.

The best Political system is a capitalist one, because there is an initiative for enterprising people to create wealth. A society must have the freedom to allow individuals to take a stand to create a healthy economy.

The Brendanway is a social-capitalist system, whereby the people have the power of attorney within a framework, which the government must abide by; to move away from, or outside that framework the government would be breaking the people's law and will be answerable for such; government cannot alter the framework, the people must do so through a referendum.

The system is equal and fair. It will give equal rights to all the citizens by giving them a proper standard of living like, health, education, homecare and all the necessities of decent and comfortable lifestyle. It will be fair in its treatment of all its citizens in all aspects of life including taxation.

It is only right that a person or persons who make it good in business or otherwise, should have the right to enjoy their wealth and distribute it as they wish, in an honest manner, as long as they have been honourable in paying up their taxes.

The present system of democracy in many countries is questionable and in most cases only lasts the day of the election.

The government implement a whip on their elected members, these parliamentarians then must always support the government, whether government policy is right or wrong.

The opposition has the same policy so members must vote the way their party requires.

The people elect the government, for the people, and a free vote parliament is the true democracy.

True Democracy

True democracy is the elected Government being the servants of the people, making the cost of elections, including election candidate's costs, the responsibility of the people.

All political parties are financed by donations which mostly come from large corporations which get their return through supportive legislation. In this so called free world we have no kings and queens in control of, or holding all the wealth, but we now have an elite just doing that. This small section of society finances the political system, which in return works in the interest of their section of the community.

The largest portion of the political parties finances come from large corporations, which get their reward through supportive legislation.

The way the political system is now financed leads to massive corruption and discrimination against the mass of the people.

No matter what system is in place there will be corruption unless the system is answerable to the public. It must have the power to make those in charge of our well being accountable for their actions, whether these people are in the public or private sector.

The system must have teeth for immediate action against the wrong doer and the fastest way is to strip the guilty of their ill-gained wealth or income.

The greatest deterrent against a wrong doer is the threat of them losing their income and ill gained wealth, if they are guilty of the crime.

The Brendan Way System

Government

The sitting period of government would be five years
There would be no party whip; it would be a free vote system.
The failure of a government to get a bill passed would not necessarily lead to the fall of government, a vote of no confidence would, or a government may voluntary resign.

Free Vote System

The free vote means there is no party whip; elected members agree to the programme for government and then sign up to such programme.

Those who sign up must support the agreed programme; should they vote against any part of it, during the agreed term of the programme's lifespan, they must resign their seat and there will be a bye-election within sixty days. Changes by the government to the agreed programme will leave any elected representative who wishes, to freely vote against the changes. An elected representative shall have the right to bring details of the programme back to his/her constituents for recommendation. The programme for government shall be in operation not later than thirty days after the election, failure to reach agreement within sixty days will lead to a new election.

There may be other issues outside the programme for government and elected representatives may freely vote on such issues as they wish.

All issues of conscience whether in programme for goverment or otherwise will be opened to a free vote.

Government Changes in Ireland

1 Scrap the Seanad

• Scrap the Seanad and strengthen the Presidency

• Replace the Seanad with a twelve person presidential cabinet.

• The President and the cabinet will be voted into power on the same day

• The cabinet shall clear all government bills for presidential signature.

• Candidates shall sign a declaration of allegiance to the country, and make a sworn oath, to put the national interest before and above any other interests, such as self, political, religious or otherwise.

2 Dail Eireann

• Reduce the number of T.Ds to 69; each County will have one T.D. and the remainder of the T.D.s, elected, as per head of population, equally based throughout the Country.

• The maximum number of advisers or consultants shall be twelve.

• Each party contesting an election will be required to put the names of their twelve advisers or consultants on nomination papers, and their qualities outlined for the voters. Whereby the government is to be a coalition, the coalition parties will have to agree on whom the twelve advisors or consultants will be, selected from all the coalition parties' elected representatives.

3 Pay

• All T.Ds' salaries will not be more than four times national income.

• There will be support for T.D.s' consitituency offices.

• Expenses will not be more than half of their salary.

• Lump sum rewards, remunerations and pensions for any kind of services rendered will not exceed double the national income.

4 Ministers' Salaries

• Ministers' salaries will not be more than six times the National Income.

• An Taoiseach salary will not be more than seven times National Income.

• An Taoiseach and Ministers expenses will not be more than half their salaries.

• Taoiseach and Ministers pensions will not be more than half their salary.

5 Local Government

• Government will be four tear President, National Government, Regional Government and local government.

• Power will be, National Government Managing, the countries affairs nationally and internationally.

• The same system in electing members of the national government will apply in the election of Local County, Borough and Regional Representatives including the mayor and assistant mayor.

• Regional and Local Council representatives will come to power on the same Day.

• Powers both Regional and local will be the reasonability of the elected representative

• Regional representative’s salary will not exceed three times National Income and expenses not exceed half their income.

• There will be no lump payments (golden handshakes) for services rendered.

• Local Representatives salary will not exceed half the National income and their expenses not exceed half their income.

• All vacancies for County Manageres and their management team will be filled by application and interview, by the National employment agency.

• There will be a mayor in each country. The Mayor will be county head and will have the responsiblity of running the county. The county manager will be responsible for the day to day running of the county.

• County Managers and their management team’s vacancies will be by application and Interview by the National employment agency.

• The Mayor and the assistant Mayor will come to power by election, and will have a council of five bringing the total Mayoral Council to seven. The assistant mayor will be part time and be available to fulfil the roll of mayor when the mayor is not available.

• The mayor will have one advisor as will the assistant. The advisors names will have to be on the nomination papers on the day of the election.

• The Public Service will provide the necessary staff to fulfil the vacancies in the Mayoral Council.

• The mayor and assistant Mayor's salaries will not exceed four times National Income and their expenses not exceed half their salary.

6 Government Lobbing

• There will be no lobbing of government departments or politicians directly

• There shall be a communications office, whereby an person or organisation would be free to put their requests, ideas or offer advise to departments.

• It shall be the duty of the department to deal appropriately with such and reply to all correspondence.

7 Public Servants/ Civil Service

• The Public service/ civil service (pscs) will have to be efficient and its staff quantity, based on National need and demand only.

• No pscs salary will exceed four times National Income.

• Pensions will be National income, there will be no other payments when made redundant or on retirement.

• Selection of Judges, Prosecutors and the Attorney General will be from an existing waiting list panel; up dated annually through application and interview by the Courts Service. Any one who has the recognised legal expertise required to act with the approval of the court servicce can hold any of the above legal positions.

• Their salaries must not exceed Government Ministers' salaries and their pensions not exceed half their salaries.

8 National Pension

• No citizen will be entitled to collect their National pension (National Income) until they are National Retirement age.

• In all circumstances, this rule will apply with no exceptions given to early payment of Pension.

• This will not apply to private pensions.

• National Pension shall mean all pensions issued by Government

• There shall be a National Pension Board, which will monitor all pensions including Private Pension schemes and investments.

Fund Wells

There will be fund wells put in place for education, health, pensions, disasters etc., all payments towards these will go into the necessary well and would be and not used for the every day government expenditure.

Emergency Fund

A small percentage of the tax intake will be ring fenced for the emergency fund that will be available for immediate release in times of disaster to repair damage and help citizens in distress.

National Presidential Court

The purpose of The Presidential Court will be to try those who were charged for National Crime.

National Crime

Corruption which means Public failure of duties towards or against the public, or against the interests of the public, which will include Fraud, neglect, slander, misrepresentation, malpractice or misbehaviour of any kind; harboured or acted out by any member of pscs up to and including the President. Semi-state bodies, Public listed Companies, banks, accountants, accountancies, Legal persons or bodies, medical staff, medical bodies.

National Crime minimum sentence if found guilty will be loss of job, pension and any enumeration due from the job and ill gained wealth, because of their misbehaviour; the seized wealth would be treated as fine and will be paid to the nation. A convicted person can never hold a job within that body again, or work with any similar company or body again.

A public company or body found guilty of National Crime may be wound up, the automatic minimum sentence for such a company or body, if found guilty, will be the replacement of all management concerned. That such management members loss their jobs, pensions and any enumeration due from the company or body and all their ill gained wealth, because of their misbehaviour, the seized wealth will be treated as a fine and will be paid to the nation. They will never again hold employment directly or indirectly with that company or body or a similar organisation.

National Presidential Investigation Agency

The National Presidential Investigation Agency will be the investigation team for the Presidential Court. It will investigate and charge where necessary those who they believe committed a national crime. The agency will have an investigating team and a clerical staff. It will have a Chief Executive and a prosecuting team of four a Chief Prosecutor and three assistants. The agency will not be allowed to increase staff above the national quota set out by the national employment agency; in time of staff shortage, it may call in investigators from the general police force and clerical staff from the civil service.

Complaint Board

The Complains Board will decide if it is viable to put a complaint to The Presidential Agency.

The complaints Board staff levels will have to be justified by The National Recruitment Agency.

Any person, persons, body or organisation may make a complaint, a complaint will not infringe on the rights of the complainant.

National Income

National Income will be the single payment entitlement to all residents who are sick, all the unemployed (no what the reason for their unemployment), when a person is pension age (sixty five years), singles parents, those with special needs and stay at home parent. People with special needs entitlement will be National Income plus 50 per cent

The National income rate is based on an hourly rate at the daily cost of living, and will be increased or decreased with the annual rate of inflation.

The National income based on today's (2009) cost of living is based on a forty hour week at € 7.50 an hour; forty hours a week at €7.50 = €300 for a single person. A family shall have an income based on forty hours plus fifty per cent, meaning their National Income entitlement will be sixty hours at €7.50 = €450 a week.

There will be no additional benefits under any circumstances except children’s allowance.

Unemployed National income at 300 Euro a week reduced by 25 Euro for each day the umemployed person works up to three days. More than three days' work will disqualify National income.

Conditions of employment

The main conditions of the employment base, is a fair pay for honest work. The minimum wage shall be of a rate which will give one a proper standard of living (national 50 percent = €11.25). The emphasis will be on giving working people proper wages for living and less on redundancy and other end of job payouts. A good standard of pension is better than lump sum payments at the end of one’s working life.

Income

Unemployment National income shall come from national unemployment tax (NUT). All personal and business income shall be liable for NUT; the percentage of NUT will be on a scaled basis accordingly to levels of unemployment.

There shall be a children's allowance of four hours a week, paid weekly for each child, this allowance will be an entitlement from the birth until the child is sixteen years of age, and two hours a week from the age of sixteen to the age of eighteen years, if the child is still school going.

A family unit with a child of special needs the entitlement of the children allowance will be double, and when a child of special needs reaches the age of eighteen years, their entitlement will be the weekly adult income of €300 plus 50 per cent

Health Education and pension contributions; (HEP) shall be applied to all earnings, pensions, illness benefit, unemployment benefit, profits from businesses etc.

HEP Tax would go entirely to giving citizens a comprehensive free education, health and pension.

There shall be a small rate of turnover tax on businesses to support Health and Education. The tax shall be asessed on annual turnover and paid in arrears.

Education

Education shall be the responsibility of the Education Department and be locally and regionally managed.

The economics and compassion of the running of the education service shall be part of teacher training and all educational staff must be of that mindset.

Teachers shall be at the heart of management of the education system

Education shall always be respected as a service and never let into the hands of the private sector.

Homework

Homework shall be end of the day work and be carried out in school in the last 90 minutes of the school day. The school day will be from 9am to 4.30 pm at second level, and from 9 am to 3.30 pm at National level; the school day will be shorter in pre-school and in first year national school.

The curriculum in national school shall include teaching the child how to study and home study will replace homework.

Children will start at Pre-school at aged four years and continue into National school at five years; Pre-school will be the leader into National school and all pre-school premises will be in the National school building.

Education will be free to everyone from age of four to twenty two years.

Should a person leave school at sixteen years, they will be entitled to education credits (i.e. leaving school at sixteen years, that person would be granted six years credits). The credits will be available during their lifetime for further education, if not used before the person retires, they will be entitled to claim their credits in monetary value with the accumulated interest. The credits can only used for education before the person reaches pension age.

Free dinners will be available to all students in pre-school, National school and second level; all schools shall have proper canteen facilities.

From the age of sixteen years to twenty two years a person staying in education will be allowed an National Education Income (N.E.I.) of twenty hours a week(€7.50 x 20 = €150.) This national education income will also be liable for HEP. The National Education Income shall be an entitlement to anyone who leaves school early and returns to education.

N.I.E. entitlement will not be available to anyone twenty-two years or older.

ducation will be free only to those who come up through the education system National school, second level and through third level.

The free education entitlement will be to children of Irish citizens who are sitting residents’ and returning Irish citizen emigrants, who become sitting residents.

The Importance of Free Education

Education is the entitlement of every citizen and free education will not deny anyone this right.

Education gives one confidence and the ability to face up to the challenges of live.

An educated people will give the nation a free-minded vibrant society that will be the backbone of a successful economy.

Health

The health service in Ireland is in shambles, in its present formation, it is impossible to sort it; it is like a jigsaw puzzle with too many pieces.

The health service needs restructured; and can be very quickly, by laying the foundation for an economic and compassionate medical managed system.

Economics will only come by changing the mindset of all who work in the service.

Training must include the economics of supplying the service; i.e. a euro wasted is an unnecessary cost. Everyone who work in the service must as well as being compassionate, be economical minded and realise that waste will not deliver a better service but good economics will.

The service shall be the responsibility of the Department of Health and managed regionally. Medial staff shall have a major input in the management of the service, because they know what service is required, and will be aware of the cost of delivering the service, being in the frontline they may find better ways to deliver a good compassionate and efficient health service.

Health must always be respected as a service and never be commercialised into the hands of the private sector.

The service shall be in proper supply with enough front line staff and equipment to look after their patients.

Any group or organisation working in the interest of health care, (community groups and football clubs etc.), the necessary support from government will be available. Physical excise will be in the school curriculum, because prevention will be a vital part of health care. There will be a major emphasis on homecare and the necessary support given

Care Home

People who are not ill and need to be in a care home; support will be available in a family type home.

The care homes will be local and have a family size group of residents. There will be a full time nurse on duty with the support of the local G.P.; local residents will have first option of working in the home and necessary training will be available to help them in their task. This will give residents their rightful dignity.

This system will apply to all those who need support away from their own home; including people with special needs. The home will also have rest bite facilities’ to support families who have a dependent person in their home.

Prisons

The prison service shall be modernised and the number of residents greatly reduced.

No person will go to prison for not paying a fine. The system will allow outstanding fines to be collected from income.

Citizens will be obliged to carry their PPS number and when they receive a fine in court or; on the spot, or a conviction for any offence, they will have to produce their PPS number.

People convicted of non-serious offences will be imprisoned locally and will do community tasks, only serious offenders will be held in high security prisons.

The Mortgage Solution of the present mortgage crises

All the following mortgage detail will be enshrined in law and mortgage suppliers will have to abide by them. The law will apply to all residential properties in Ireland. The lender National or otherwise shall abide by Irish law.

Mortgage Arrears

The overall mortgage repayments shall be at the fixed rate of 25 per cent of mortgage holder's income. This will loosen up the mortgage holder’s finances and leave them in a more comfortable position to pay their way; the easing of any personal finances, will in return help the economy.

The mortgage will be in two sections, section 1 shall be the balance of the original mortgage, and Section 2 shall be the outstanding arrears.

Interest will be at the fixed rate of not more than 4.5 per cent on section one and no interest on section two. Repayments on section one will be at 20 per cent of mortgagee’s income. During the lifetime mortgage, the mortgagee shall have the right to make lump sum payments of the principle of the mortgage with no additional charge, as long as the mortgage is arrears free. Repayments on section two will be at 5 per cent of mortgagee’s income, over the necessary period of arrears repayments. When the arrears is paid up the repayments on the mortgage will be 25 per cent.

Arrears must be interest free.

New Mortgages

Any new mortgage issued will not be more than 90 per cent of value of property and repayments will not be more than 25 per cent of income.

The lifetime of the mortgage will not be more that forty years, the total residential mortgage will not be more than 20 per cent (including interest), of the mortgagee’s lifetime income.

The amount of monthly repayments will be 25 per cent of mortgagee’s income, at the birth of the mortgage, and no alteration to this figure, can take place without agreement of both parties.

A residential mortgagee’s mortgage shall not extend past the age of 66 years.

Property Guarantee (PG)

The only guarantee the lender will have on a residential property will be the mortgaged property. There will be no other guarantee personal or otherwise. Any guarantee other than PG on this type of property would be illegal. The mortgagee will be committed to paying the mortgage to the best of their ability.

Property Valuation

There will be a blanket de-valuation of resident property in line with the Revenue’s present valuation; it will be the De-value System.

De-Value System (DVS), is morally correct and economically sensible, as this will end negative equity, which in return will help put the home economy on to a firmer footing.

All residential mortgages will benefit from DVS whether in arrears or not and the amount of the mortgage will be reduced.

The lenders will have to reduce all present held mortgages in line with DVS, and in such case carry the loss.

Commercial Rates

Commercial Rates shall be payable on turnover and not on the building or the area in which the business is situated.

Residential Property

Residential property tax shall be fixed by central government at a national rate, with a small annual registration fee, and then charged on percentage of income.

Social Homes

A programme for new build and the purchasing of existing property shall be in place to fulfil the demand for social homes. The cost will be massive, but government will seek to borrow 90 percent of the required finance from local and International financial institutions.

The government shall guarantee the loans and repayments will be the, collected rent, from the tenants of the homes. The homes will be in the control of government until the loans are paid, and then, these homes will become the property of the local housing authorities.

There will be a National housing fund, which will finance the local Authorities in requiring additional homes.

Local Authorities will supply government with details of homes required plus 20 percent.

The 20 percent will level out the extra balance of increasing demand.

There will also be an immediate scheme put in place, grant aiding existing sitting social housing tenants to purchase their own home, and leave the social home vacant. The scheme will operate as long as is necessary required.

Local Authorities will have responsibility in supplying homes; in the matter of additional homes, they shall get the finance from the government central housing fund.

Residential Occupiers Unit

The recognition of the equal rights of Tenants, Landlords’ and Homeowners will be foremost and disputes will be quickly resolved.

A residential arbitration unit managed by the law courts will hear residential disputes.

Any resident, tenant, landlord or homeowner can put their problems independently or collectively before the unit, for a quick agreed resolution, within the period of within 21 days. (Three calendar weeks.)

Two or more parties may lodge a request for help in sorting a situation, whereby one party or more does not respond within 7 days. The residential unit powers include making a 7-day order for the non-applying party to attend.

In the event of the failure of an agreement or the absentance of a party or parties, The Residential unit will have the power to make a decision between day 14 and day 21. If any party is not satisfied with the decision, they may use a higher court.

National Assets

Essential services such as health, education, electricity, Gas, forestry, peat, water and natural minerals will treated as national assets; these shall always be in the control of the citizens; the government will have no power to move such assets out of the citizens control.

The ownership of the national assets will be enshrined into the constitution.

There shall always be a referendum on whether to sell of or move any National Assets from the control of the taxpayer.

Brendan Way charity control

All charity and voluntary organisations will be regulated and full accounts registered with the company's office and published. Full accounts will mean all monies collected, commissions paid, all wages detailed for each employee and all detailed expenses paid.

All charity organisations shall be accountable to the citizens.

Housing organisations

There will be regulation of social housing organisations, and there will be consideration as to the necessity of such organisations.

Job Overlapping

Job-Overlapping is very common practice in most areas of government, in fact this, over-lapping is created for the sake of making jobs for the boys or as pay backs for party supporters or prop-ups for friends.

Quangos are duplicating government department’s work. Government departments in association with regional and local bodies will implement all policy and the quangos’ will end.

Media

The free speech act will give a free and open media, and will be regulated by law to be honourable and just.

A free press will be a national asset in highlighting the ill practices of those in authority whatever their position in society.

Environment

Care of the environment and the residents will be enshrined in the Constitution. Anything that may have consequences for environmental change, health concerns or anything which may change the setting of an area, i.e. (underground mining or fracking, wind power, electrical overhead cables) must be put before the citizens in a referendum.

Underground mining and shale fracking will be illegal.

Irish Unity

There will be a department for Irish Unity. The department will be headed by a minister and working staff

Constitution

Constitution voting will be the law and it will be a crime for a resident registered person not to vote.

A non resident person will be a person who is not on the voting register or a registered voter who is absent, from the country or the area on the date of the referendum.

The results of a Constitutional vote to become law, must be carried by a minimum of eighty five percent of the electoral vote and sixty five per cent of the total vote cast.

There will be a resting period of two years before a referendum, can be held on the same issue, tampering with the wording or repackaging of the issue will not alter the resting time. It will be unlawful to re-run the referendum before the resting period expires.

If you are interested in a better Ireland see our website Citizens Rights United.

Con Darcy 2009

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