Ireland and the growth of international governance

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the impact of internationalisation on: the economy and macro-economic management; management of the interface between Irish Government and international governance structures; and Irish identity. In studying the politics of change in Ireland it is necessary to take note of interactions between internationalisation/international governance, the cycle of the world economy and particular developments in Irish society and policy. The developments in the Irish economy, policy and society since 1960 can be seen as a process of learning how to manage internationalisation and the emergence of international governance. In assessing the impact of inward investment on Ireland we consider its interaction with the indigenous economy, its regional pattern, and its impact on organisation patterns. The Council is the part of the Union’s institutional system where national governments and the European process become intertwined. It is in the Council that national ministers and civil servants mould European policy.