Murphy, Mary P. (2008) Ideas, interests and institutions; explaining Irish social security policy. Working Paper. Poverty Research Initiative.

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Abstract

We might expect that in such a small open economy as Ireland, the impact of global pressures on social policy would be relatively strong (McCoy, 2008). This paper tests such a thesis through a case study of Irish social security policy and argues that, over the period 1986–2006, Irish social security policy responded to global and domestic pressures in a particularly Irish fashion, qualitatively different to other liberal welfare regimes and to other small open European economies. In seeking to understand this puzzle the paper explores and analyses the social security policy institutions where social security policy is mediated. It outlines the Irish policy architecture – the political, institutional and ideational factors that shape the trajectory of Irish social security development. The paper identifies domestic constraints on globalisation and factors that influence the social construction of policy. It concludes by recommending changes in the policy process that might help lead to more equitable policy outcomes.

Item Type:	Monograph (Working Paper)
Keywords:	Irish social security; political mediation; policy community;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Sociology
Item ID:	1126
Depositing User:	Dr. Mary Murphy
Date Deposited:	12 Jan 2009 16:00
Publisher:	Poverty Research Initiative
URI:
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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