Challenge Bank

Do you have a Challenge in your area that you think could be solved through Design Thinking? Take the next step in your Challenger journey by adding it to the bank!

Courses will be based on the Challenges that people like you, across the region, feel need fresh and innovative thinking. To do this, we’re asking everyone to submit the Challenges that they’d like to tackle collaboratively.

Like and comment on other people's Challenges to show support and increase its chance of being included in a Course. You can filter Challenges by county or category.

Roll over a Challenge for more details. Click to go to the Challenge and like it or leave a comment.

Click to go to the Challenge and like it or leave a comment.

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Cycle and Pedestrian lanes for Ballybofey-Stranorlar

Cycle and Pedestrian lanes for Ballybofey-Stran...

Ballybofey-Stranorlar has a population of approx 2000 children in schools and creches. We also have many people involved outdoor activities including walking, running and cycling in the community. The towns need to be developed to make it easier for school children and our community to move around safety without cars. Our town centres are walkable and easily accessible, but the pre-dominance of cars in the main streets, inadequate pavement width and lack of cycle lanes make it unsafe for non-car road users in most areas. Establishing proper cycle and pedestrian lanes would - link the heart of the towns with areas of recreation on the town boundaries - support the development of wellbeing activities for people of all ages and abilities - reduce the number of cars on the road, and congestion, especially at the start and end of the school day.

Donegal

A Recreation Corridor from Donegal's heartland to the Coast

A Recreation Corridor from Donegal's heartland ...

Establish a networked recreation corridor through the area of scenic beauty from Ballybofey-Stranorlar to Donegal Town, in Co. Donegal. Creating a visitor friendly route between these two key towns in Donegal would - provide a resource for tourists and residents, encouraging year round wellbeing and outdoor activities - stimulate small communities and craft businesses along the route - create a pathway for visitors along the wild atlantic way into the heart of Donegal drawing them further north on their journeys The Wild Atlantic Way has been brilliant for bringing visitors to the West Coast of Ireland, but areas without the attractions of beaches are losing out as visitors congregate along signature points. Failte Ireland also recognise that the WAW north of Galway is underperforming and attracting fewer visitors than the southern route. this project would increase economic and tourism sustainability for the North West of Ireland.

Donegal

Diversification opportunities for farmers

What non-agricultural or novel enterprise opportunities available to farmers

Cavan

EV Electric Vehicle Interpretive Centres joint funded by vehicle manufactures'/government

EV Electric Vehicle Interpretive Centres joint...

Ireland is banning the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles by 2030.In less than nine years from now motorists will be asked to embrace new technologies in a new form of transport most have never used before. To help this transition E.V. centres are needed to assist the motoring public in becoming familiar with the use of such vehicles. Here they can test drive different models by hiring and taking them on a circuit provided by the centre. In doing so such fears as range anxiety can be addressed and the advantages of owning such vehicles can be shown in a hands on experience. I feel this could speed up the interest in such vehicles by familiarising the public on a need to know basis. These centres could also help in making the transition to E.V.s less challenging as we approach the 2030 deadline. These centres would arguably be the first of their kind in Ireland and bring other benefits such as tourism. Here visiting families can experience the future of travel.

N/A, Sligo

Tackling Plastic Waste Locally Via a "Precious Plastic" Project

Tackling Plastic Waste Locally Via a "Precious ...

The Precious Plastic project (https://preciousplastic.com/universe/how-does-it-work.html) is a global programme to tackle plastic waste on a local level by setting up local volunteer led workshops and social enterprises to turn plastic waste back into usable products. The programme has developed in the last few years to focus on creating an ecosystem of training and supports that can give people a wide range of new skills and bring economic and environmental advantages to local communities.

Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo

Town Vitality, How to increase population & visitors

Town Vitality, How to increase population & vis...

Increase town residents = more evening-trade, activity, life, vibrancy, save retail! Your ideas..? Imagine walking through the Savoy Cinema doors (shut 30+ years) into a #CultureQuarter, a hidden village of ...? Craft making, Arts, Studios, 3Dprinting resident’s waste plastic. Affordable indigenous commercial units like 'Donegal Village'. Older generations; could we see a return of reLearning-old-trades before they're lost forever? Mixed-income, multi-generational community-led housing is a norm in many countries. Until more learn Cohousing is not CoLiving, we'll never catch up with other UK/EU towns/cities. or does Sligo continue w 'flats' where nobody needs know their neighbour, or community. Sligo's Courthouse Block ..still ignored, Dereliction has compounded vacancy. #NormalPeople want to live in warmer communities. Down-sizers deserve better options than retirement or nursing village. We can build better stuff in better places!

Sligo

Harmful Chemical Free Communities

I propose the phasing out of harmful toxic chemicals used by County Councils in grounds keeping (parks, flowers, green areas etc). Harmful chemicals include pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and artifical fertilisers etc. Now is the time to take action. We are in an unprecedented time of environmental and human degradation. The health of both systems is intrinsically linked and if we act now we can change our current path.

Cavan

Develop Inclusive Shared Green/Blue Spaces in County Louth

Develop Inclusive Shared Green/Blue Spaces in C...

As a coastal county we have the opportunity to develop a fully accessible sea swimming point for people with disabilities. Louth has beautiful scenery and historic locations that could be connected by accessible cycle lanes. These amenities would benefit the environment and everyone living in County Louth.

Louth

Cycle/Walking Trail to Drogheda

Open up the Old Coach Rd from Beltitchburne to Drogheda and extend to Termonfeckin to allow safe walking and cycling as a viable means of transport link. This can keep walkers and cyclists away from the main road and also be suitable for tourism promotion.

Louth

Help Sustain Social Enterprises using alternative local energy like hydro or wind alternative

Help Sustain Social Enterprises using alternati...

Investigate Natural Resources available locally

Donegal

Local Climate Dialogue

Bringing climate action down to local (county or regional) level, empowering community and individual ownership of the problem.

Leitrim

Create New Community Woodlands

The Covid 19 2km and 5km restrictions further highlighted the the need for woodland in and near our towns. People of all ages have a renewed appreciation of the importance of woodlands to our health and well-being. We have a great opportunity to bring more woodland into our towns, making them healthier, more attractive places to live, work and visit, while also helping to improve biodiversity.

Monaghan

Tubbercurry Carbon Neutrality

Community, Business and Sporting Organisations in Tubbercurry examining Micro-Generation opportunities and becoming a carbon neutral town

Sligo

Sligo Communities Action Planning

Bringing Sligo Community groups together to identify priorities and actions for the area

Sligo

Seed Saving Training

Equip local community gardens and or groups with skills to save and share food seeds. COVID and Brexit have / are / will out a strain on our access to seeds in Ireland for growing our own food.

Monaghan

Climate Change

To inform communities on how to act effectively and quickly to protect local habitats, sustain and build on urban green areas and provide community garden spaces and bring programmes into schools to teach how communities can make changes to protect their local environments and lobby government to effect bigger changes.

Louth

Climate Change - Just Transition

Climate Change presents many challenges to our communities. But the impacts can be more profound for those on the margins. For example, a carbon tax on fuel impacts all, but the more well off can afford the higher fuel costs and or can better afford to invest in alternative heating solutions.

Monaghan