Could giving citizens a free basic income work here?
Finland and Canada are experimenting with giving citizens free money. Could it work in Ireland?
It’s an idea that unites Garret FitzGerald and Elon Musk, Milton Friedman and Yanis Varoufakis, Richard Nixon and Willie O’Dea: free money for all. In the jargon, it’s a “universal basic income”: a monthly bank transfer from the state, sufficient for a minimal standard of living, at least - no questions asked.
No means test. No income limits. No clawback. No public service required. No obligation to look for work, or go back ...
