Political issues in Ireland today, 3rd ed.

Abstract:

This book presents a total of eleven contributions from a panel of senior political scientists offering views on a wide range of policy areas in the Republic and in Northern Ireland.

The work opens with a chapter on the 'Celtic Tiger' which endeavours to place Ireland in a world economic context, providing background history to the 1990s boom and current political issues arising in the post-boom Irish economy. Chapter two explores Ireland's relationship with the European Union. The third chapter examines the developments leading to the Belfast Good Friday Agreement of 1998 and the current obstacles to peace. Chapter four explores the local government structures, the functions of local authorities and the finance of local government, and describes how the two parts of Ireland chose different paths after partition. The development of the social partnership and its contribution to Ireland's economic improvement are examined in chapter five. Health care is the focus of chapter six which, whilst recognising the improvements, points to the need for Irish citizens to accept that the system remains grossly under-funded by European standards. Environmental policy and the vociferous debate surrounding waste management are considered in chapter seven. The changing perception of citizens as customers of public services is the focus of chapter eight, which looks at the Strategic Management Initiative and the Customer Action Plans produced by government departments and agencies. Chapter nine considers the impact of science and technology and the challenges presented by the rapid expansion in areas that pose a potential challenge to the social order and morals of the population. Chapter ten explores the issues of immigration, asylum seeking and racism. Gender participation in the political process is explored in chapter eleven, which examines why the numbers of women in Irish politics places the country so low in the international table at sixtieth.

The book will interest scholars and students engaged in social sciences and Irish political development.

Neil Collins is Professor and Head of the Department of Government, University College Cork.

Terry Cradden is Visiting Lecturer at the Smurfit School of Business, University College Dublin.

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