Does the essay merely function as a satirical attack? Does Swift ever present any serious proposals for improving conditions? If so, where?

Although the essay does function as a satirical attak, it also provides some solutions. In paragraph 29 he writes somo of them. He attacks or critizes the way the Irish behaved and handled their resources, for bein lazy and consuming thier resources. But he also blamed the English for taking things from them.

Explanation:

The solutions he presented were: He tells people to stop fighting, to act on love, to tax people that were leaving out from Ireland, to put a tax on importations, or to avoid importation, to use their own goods, people that have their own shops should sell their goods.