The Crisis in Ireland: Where Did It All Go Wrong?

Abstract

The books under review attempt to explain recent political events in Ireland against the backdrop of the collapse of the Celtic Tiger in 2008. Collectively, they offer insights into both the causes and the consequences of the economic crisis, identifying underlying weaknesses in Irish structures of governance which contributed to it. Four key problems are identified throughout the four volumes: a highly centralised state; an executive that dominates parliament; a dysfunctional electoral system; and a conservative political culture that is resistant to reform. Economic recovery will depend on European elites as much as Irish policy makers. Therefore, despite the turbulence of the 2011 general election, prospects for radical change in the structures and political culture that facilitated Ireland’s crash remain bleak. Byrne, E. (2012) Political Corruption in Ireland, 1922–2010: A Crooked Harp? Manchester: Manchester University Press. Gallagher, M. and Marsh, M. (eds) (2011) How Ireland Voted, 2011: The Full Story of Ireland’s Earthquake Election. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Hardiman, N. (ed.) (2012) Irish Governance in Crisis. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Kirby, P. and Murphy, M. P. (2011) Towards a Second Republic. London: Pluto Press.