NUIG student from Mayo wins prestigious AIG Legatum Prize

THE AIG Legatum Prize, which challenges the world’s brightest young minds to generate new ideas to some of the toughest policy questions, has been won by final year NUI Galway student Kyle Moore for his proposal of a pan-EU ‘caring credits’ system.

Kyle, from Raish, near Ballina, walked away with the £3,000 prize and the 2016 trophy with his innovative proposal for a reciprocal 'caring credits' system within the EU.

His idea proposes that participants would earn credits through caring for the elderly which they could ‘cash in’ later in life in any EU member state, either to fund their own care or that of family members. He cited an existing Japanese scheme as a good example for Europe to follow.

Now in its fourth year, this prestigious award challenged entrants with devising solutions to the huge demographic challenges of ageing societies to ensure that older people can lead more prosperous lives.

A distinguished panel of judges, chaired by Jeremy Cliffe, Bagehot columnist at The Economist, questioned the five shortlisted finalists in a Dragons’ Den-style format in front of a packed room of business leaders, academics, think-tankers and students.

Adam Winslow, chief executive officer of AIG Life Limited, said: “Kyle is a worthy winner, but there were many great ideas presented to the judges. We need to engage the brightest minds of all generations to find a solution to the demographic challenge that brings continued prosperity.

“It was genuinely inspirational to witness the range of different solutions proposed by these young thinkers to the very real problem of ensuring that an ageing society is a prosperous one.”