One of the problems we have in Ireland is that the Daíl is unrepresentative: in particular it lacks scientists and engineers, or any representation from the high-tech Smart Economy we are supposedly trying to create. This is largely down to the challenges of a political career, especially in as clientelist a system as ours (that also needs to be fixed).

Basically the Daíl is stuffed with teachers, lawyers, publicans and the like: those who can postpone a career, run for office knowing that they can safely move back into their old job. Teachers in particular find their posts held open for them until they return. Scientists and Engineers, on the other hand, would effectively be committing career suicide: 5 years out of the industry and your day-to-day knowledge is stale. You are effectively unemployable.

So Mike O'Keeffe from Ircona suggests that we create a retraining fund; basically make the promise to engineers and the like running for office that 'your job is open for you when you return'. The fund would go to their employer to help retrain them back into work for several years after they return.

This fund would be set up by the high-tech industries in Ireland, who could do with people who actually understand those industries (ICT, biotech, etc.), and even just science in the Daíl. How about it?

[Note: this is not to say this is the only, or even most important, fix needed to Irish politics; but it should be straightforward compared to reforming the constitution.]