Politics in the Republic of Ireland

Transcription

1 Politics in the Republic of Ireland Fourth edition Edited by John Goakley and Michael Gallagher O Routledge j j j ^ ^ Taylor & Francis Group Published in association with LONDON AND NEW YORK

2 Contents List of figures x List of tables xi List of boxes xiii Notes on contributors xiv Foreword xvii Preface xix Glossary xxi List of acronyms xxiii PARTI The context of Irish politics 1 1 The foundations of statehood 3 The legacy of British rule 4 The transition to independence 14 The consolidation of statehood 19 Conclusion 32 2 Society and political culture 36 Political culture and its importance 36 Stability and change in Irish society 39 Ireland's changing political culture 50 A divided political culture? 64 Conclusion 67

3 vi Contents 3 The constitution and the judiciary 72 MICHAEL GALLAGHER The background: the Irish Free State constitution 73 The main features of the constitution 75 Amendment of the constitution 78 Judicial development of the constitution 84 The debate on constitutional change 93 PART II Representative democracy at work The rules of the electoral game 105 RICHARD SINNOTT. 9 The proportional representation option in Ireland 105 How PR-STV works 109 The political consequences of PR-STV 117 PR-STV: a balance sheet 123 Regulating electoral competition 125 Conclusion The party system o 135 PETER MAIR AND LIAM WEEKS The Irish case in comparative context 135 The origins of the party system 140 The dynamics of party competition 144 The changing Irish party system 148 Conclusion Parties and society 160 MICHAEL MARSH Party structure 161 Partyfinance163 Party membership 169 Party management 172 Conclusion 179 ^

4 Contents vii 7 Voting behaviour 183 MICHAEL LAVER Voting turnout 184 Candidates versus parties 191 Determinants of party support 194 Policy positions of voters 204 Conclusion Parliament 211 MICHAEL GALLAGHER Parties and parliament 212 Appointment and dismissal ofgovernments 214 Making policy 217 Scrutinising the behaviour of government 226 Seanad Eireann 233 Weakness of parliament 235 Conclusion The constituency role of Dail deputies 242 MICHAEL GALLAGHER AND LEE KOMI TO The nature of constituency work 242 Constituency work and clientelism 252 Constituency work in comparative perspective 254 Causes of constituency work 255 Consequences of TDs' constituency work 264 Conclusion Women in politics 272 YVONNE GALLIGAN Women in political institutions 272 Women in society 283 Causes of the under-representation of women 285 Consequences of the under-representation of women 290 The institutionalisation of women's interests 295 Conclusion 297

5 viii (fiontents PART III Policy and administration The President and the Taoiseach 305 ROBERTELGIEAND PETER FITZGERALD The President 305 The Taoiseach 313 Conclusion The government and the governmental system 328 EILEEN CONNOLLY Cabinet government 328 The central institutions of the government 333 Government departments 340 Monitoring Irish government 345 Conclusion 348 t 13 Interest groups in the policy-making process 352 GARY MURPHY Interest groups and the political process 353 Sectional groups 358 Cause-centred groups 363 Influencing public policy 366 Interest group activity assessed 376 Conclusion Multi-level governance 384 NEIL COLLINS AND AODH QUINLIVAN The concept of multi-level governance 384 Local government 287 State-sponsored bodies 392 Public accountability 395 Conclusion 400

6 PART IV Contents ix Ireland in a wider world Northern Ireland and the British dimension 407 The north-s«uth relationship 408 The Irish British relationship 412 The Good Friday Agreement 416 Conclusion Europe and the international dimension 430 BRIGID LAFFAN AND BEN TONRA The external environment 431 The European institutions and Ireland 438 The EU and the Irish political system 447 The EU and Irish foreign policy 456 Conclusion: a small open polity 459 Appendices Demographic data Electoral data Political office-holders Government departments, Biographical notes on major political figures Chronology of main political events 487 Index 491