Understanding Corruption In Irish Politics

Irish political life has experienced great turmoil in recent years because of the scale and intricacy of political corruption being uncovered by parliamentary and quasi-judicial inquiries. There is genuine popular amazement and growing cynicism towards the seemingly never-ending wave of scandal and attendant tribunals. To understand political corruption in Ireland, this pamphlet examines the concept within a political-science analytical framework that allows both historical and international comparison. The book challenges the current explanations of political corruption, particularly those that stress a turning away from a political "golden age" in the 1960s "Understanding Political Corruption in Irish Politics" chronicles political scandals in the 1990s, looks at their causes and explains their consequences. It also suggests reform strategies that will reduce the incentives drawing politicians towards corruption and increase the likelihood and expense of being detected.

Irish political life has experienced great turmoil in recent years because of the scale and intricacy of political corruption being uncovered by parliamentary and quasi-judicial inquiries. There is genuine popular amazement and growing cynicism towards the seemingly never-ending wave of scandal and attendant tribunals. To understand political corruption in Ireland, this pamphlet examines the concept within a political-science analytical framework that allows both historical and international comparison. The book challenges the current explanations of political corruption, particularly those that stress a turning away from a political "golden age" in the 1960s "Understanding Political Corruption in Irish Politics" chronicles political scandals in the 1990s, looks at their causes and explains their consequences. It also suggests reform strategies that will reduce the incentives drawing politicians towards corruption and increase the likelihood and expense of being detected.

Complements Collins and Cradden's 1997 Irish Politics Today with a dozen essays for college students of Irish politics or general readers. Scholars in a number of disciplines from both jurisdictions examine such topics as local and regional reforms, recent cases of corruption, The European Union, health policy, the growth performance of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland from 1960 to 1995, women's issues, and the Good Friday Agreement. No date is mentioned for the first edition.

A successful property developer in England, the Sligo-born Tom Gilmartin had ambitious plans for major retail developments in Dublin in the late 1980s. Little did he know that in order to do business in the city, senior politicians and public officials would want a slice of the action ... in the form of large amounts of cash. Gilmartin blew the whistle on corruption at the heart of government and the city's planning system, and the fallout from his claims ultimately led to the resignation of the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in 2008. Written by Ireland's leading investigative journalists, Tom Gilmartin is a compelling narrative of official wrong-doing and abuse of office; it lifts the lid on the corruption and financial mismanagement that blighted Irish society in latter decades of the twentieth century. The product of two decades' research, it's a must-read for anyone seeking to uncover the roots of Ireland's financial catastrophe.

This new edition of a 1999 classic shows how institutionalized corruption can be fought through sophisticated political-economic reform.

Using case studies to understand the different forms of corruption (bribery, political corruption, kleptocracy and corrupt capital) the book builds a picture of the global threat that corruption poses and the responses that have been most effective.

Ireland has enjoyed continuous democratic government for almost a century, an unusual experience among countries that gained their independence in the 20th century. But the way this works in practice has changed dramatically over time. Ireland's colonial past had an enduring influence over political life for much of the time since independence, enabling stable institutions of democratic accountability, while also shaping a dismal record of economic under-development and persistent emigration. More recently, membership of the EU has brought about far-reaching transformation across almost all aspects of Irish life. But if anything, the paradoxes have only intensified. Now one of the most open economies in the world, Ireland has experienced both rapid growth and one of the most severe crashes in the wake of the Great Recession. On some measures Ireland is among the most affluent countries in the world, yet this is not the lived experience for many of its citizens. Ireland is an unequivocally modern state, yet public life continues to be marked by formative ideas and values in which tradition and modernity are held in often uneasy embrace. It is a small state that has ambitions to leverage its distinctive place in the Atlantic and European worlds to carry more weight on the world stage. Ireland continues to be deeply connected to Britain through ties of culture and trade, now matters of deep concern in the context of Brexit. And the old fault-lines between North and South, between Ireland and Britain, which had been at the core of one of Europe's longest and bloodiest civil conflicts, risk being reopened by Britain's new hard-edged approach to national and European identities. These key issues are teased out in the 41 chapters of this book, making this the most comprehensive volume on Irish politics to date.

A thoroughly revised and updated edition of this acclaimed text that reflects the extensive changes in the Irish system of government, including strategic management, parliamentary procedures and the management of EU business. An essential book for understanding the workings of Irish Government, it discusses freedom of information and new developments in information technology and reflects the significant changes that have taken place in the machinery of government in recent years. An essential book for students of Irish Studies, law, journalism, politics, public sector management and business studies. The book covers: - The Government and the Taoiseach - Ministers and their Departments - The Dáil and the Seanad - The Constitution of Ireland - The President of Ireland - The Civil Service - The Judiciary, Courts and Legal Officers - Local Government - State Agencies and Bodies - The Health Services - Appeals - The Impact of the European Union - The Management of Government