Is there a ‘revolving door’ to the private sector in Irish politics?

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe connections between Irish politicians and the private sector are the subject of constant speculation, particularly in the post Celtic Tiger period. However, there is little systematic evidence whether publicised cases of such ties represent the exception to the rule, or if they are symptomatic of a larger problem. In this paper we focus on one aspect of the public–private nexus and investigate whether a revolving door – the movement of individuals between public and private sectors – exists in Ireland. Using evidence from originally collected data on former TDs from 1989 to 2016, we find that almost one third of ex-politicians are in the private sector; however, many merely return to their previous occupations as solicitors or small business owners. Still, 11 per cent turn to consulting, lobbying or corporate board membership. We find that former cabinet ministers, the representatives of FF, PD and FG parties, as well as TDs who do not run and lose are more likely to join the corporate sector. We additionally compare former TDs with ex-officials in the civil service. Finally, placing Ireland in a comparative context, we find that the extent of the revolving door problem here is lower than in other democracies.