The Irish parliament and the recovery and resilience plan: giving up on national influence on EU matters by parliamentary means?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Most accounts of parliamentary involvement in European affairs describe a gradual increase over time in the role of national parliaments. However, it is also possible for parliamentary involvement to stagnate or decline over time. The argument of this article is that such inertia or decline is being seen in Ireland when it comes to EU-related crises, such as the COVID-19-inspired economic crisis: the Oireachtas is largely confining its European-related activities to creating a public forum. Hence, debates and parliamentary questions remain the tools of choice. These have the advantage for parliamentarians of involving little effort. However, they also exert little influence on policy. Simultaneously, methods of direct engagement with the electorate such as stakeholder consultations and townhall meetings are now featuring in such situations (joining other direct engagement methods found in the Irish democratic landscape such as citizens’ assemblies and referendums).