museums, and bus and rail stations. Under the umbrella of a national housing and
employment strategy, local authority contracts could be specifically earmarked for
cooperative enterprises and the self-employed.
While government spending is imperative, the simple truth is that this country
needs a National State Bank to act as a pillar of a sound community banking system.
The NSB should not be a profit-driven bank, but rather a tool to partner with the
community banking sector, which would consist of a combined network of credit
unions, post offices, small regional banks, and local authorities.
Cooperative Enterprise Communities
These three bodies, the NHA, the NEA, and the NSB, will work with local
authorities and the community banking sector to provide funding and strategic
planning for Cooperative Enterprise Communities. Properties currently in NAMA will
be turned over to the NHA and NEA so that they can be used as premises for newly
created enterprises or as community dwellings. The NHA and NEA will work together
to build community housing from scratch when necessary, using Clough Jordan's eco-
village in Tipperary and other projects run by Cooperative Housing Ireland
(www.cooperativehousing.ie) as a model.
They will also provide support for cooperatives and the self-employed to keep
jobs in the local economy. Tax incentives will be available for all those who decide to
move to areas targeted by the NHA and NEA for Cooperative Enterprise
Communities. Those joining cooperatives will be trained and given mentoring in the
first five years of the cooperative enterprise.
National Housing Agency
The National Housing Agency will deal with housing
individuals and families, using compulsory purchase orders
where necessary to acquire suitable vacant housing/land
with prospects for dwellings and enterprise. The NHA will
coordinate housing over the entire country, initially
targeting the top ten areas with the most vacant houses for
development.
There are almost 100,000 people on the social housing list. This community
development initiative will allow those waiting on the list to move to these
communities and work in community-owned enterprises or pursue self-employment.
There will also be a provision for those who want to move to these developing areas
but already have a home and a mortgage; they will be given an opportunity to
‘house swap’, leaving the government the house and the responsibility for
renegotiation of the mortgage repayment. This will allow the government to rent the
swapped property as a means to pay the mortgage and provide low rent
accommodation in pressured areas. This provision will reduce personal debt in our
society and increase competition in the rental market.