Irish President Mary McAleese has taken a leaf out of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign book by encouraging and empowering the Irish people to be the ones that make a change in their country.

Now Irish Americans are also being asked to contribute ideas to the "your country your call effort," and come up with the best ideas to kick start the Irish economy.  The two winning entries will win close to $150,000 dollars each.

"The goal is to pick two truly transformational proposals so big that, when implemented, could secure prosperity and jobs for Ireland. Proposals that could help change the way we do things, allow businesses to grow, employment to be created and prosperity to flourish,” the website explains.

Two winning ideas and their creators will win $150,000 each, and the campaign is offering a development of up to $850,000 to implement the proposals. The competition is open to people from every walk of Irish life.

The brainchild of the President’s husband, Dr. Martin McAleese, the campaign encourages a sense of community and echoes of “Yes We Can”.

At a time when unemployment is high and Government support is low, this fresh new project may be just what the country needs.

"We are looking for Irish American input as well,” Martin McAleese told IrishCentral.com. “We know there is a deep affection for Ireland among Irish Americans and we look forward too their ideas and suggestions."

There are eight categories in which to submit ideas.

They are: Communications & Technology, Design, Engineering And Manufacturing, Education & The Arts, Energy & The Environment, Food & Agriculture, Health, Sport & Nutrition, and Professional Services. There is also an ‘Other’ category, leaving an extremely wide ambit for the ideas.

President McAleese appears in a video on the website, and speaks of the past, present, and future of Ireland. Our strength, she explains, is in working together.

“It’s time to shake off the doldrums and get back on our feet,” she says.“We have the will”.

Now they just need to find the best way.

For more information click here