Posts tagged ‘Politics’
Politics: Progress on EU-IMF deal
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011eolas examines what the Government successfully concluded in Q3 of the EU-IMF programme and what is expected in the final quarter of 2011. With the Government’s medium-term fiscal statement announced, five important fiscal documents remain to be published this year. On 10 November the Government will publish its capital review, followed by an expenditure reform plan one week later. This will include a medium-term expenditure framework and reform measures guided by the comprehensive review of expenditure. The comprehensive review of expenditure and multi-annual expenditure ceilings for...[full story]
Politics: Referenda – a look at future referenda
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011With two referenda conducted, the Programme for Government commits to four more. Stephen Dineen examines trends in October’s results and the Government’s plans. One referendum proposal was accepted and another rejected on 27 October. While the proposed constitutional convention will examine specific constitutional provisions, four referendums are expected through Programme for Government commitments. Children’s referendum A referendum on children’s rights is expected in 2012 after five years of deliberation on proposed wording. In February 2007 the then government published a...[full story]
Politics: Stephen Donnelly pursues independence
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011Continuing our series of interviews with independent TDs, Stephen Donnelly questions the relevance of the Dáil. Stephen Dineen reports. A political scientist analysing the workings of parliaments would probably want more politicians in Stephen Donnelly’s category. He’s new, he’s unbound amidst a strong whip system and he’s only one of two independents TDs without any experience of electoral politics before this year. Yet it is Donnelly who would like to engage a political scientist. “I would love some political scientist to research what changes to legislation have occurred...[full story]
Politics: The good policy guide
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011Peter Cheney examines how the political parties make decisions and the ‘dos and don’ts’ when lobbying. Much of the research behind manifestos and ministerial announcements is done by staff behind the scenes in Government Buildings, Leinster House, and party headquarters. Drawing on their departments and 36 special advisers, government parties have a natural advantage over the opposition. Most ministers have a policy adviser and press adviser (eolas, issue 6, page 102-103) with larger teams assisting the Taoiseach and Tánaiste. Each main party has a policy or research office, but...[full story]
Politics: A New Environment: Ciarán Lynch
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011In the first in a series of interviews with Oireachtas committee chairs, Stephen Dineen talks to Ciarán Lynch about the Committee’s work. Ciarán Lynch does not claim to be an expert on the environment, but says he’s a quick learner. In the changed political world of the 31st Dáil, and a reformed committee system, he has the perfect storm. Where Oireachtas committees in the last Dáil usually had less than 20 members and met every couple of weeks, the new 27-member Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht, of which he is chair, meets at least once a week...[full story]
Politics: Pearse Street to Parliament
Monday, November 7th, 2011From growing up on Dublin’s Pearse Street to being granted a life peerage in the House of Lords, Dee Doocey discusses her politics with Meadhbh Monahan. “The Jesuits said: ‘Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man’ and I think that’s the truest thing because you are shaped by your formative years,” Dee Doocey states. Born with double club feet, Deirdre O’Keefe spent many of her childhood years in hospital and regularly had plaster of Paris corrective treatment or wore calipers. This set her back educationally, but her intuition with maths was to stand...[full story]
Politics: How others see Europe
Monday, November 7th, 2011Insularity and caution will damage Europe’s standing in the world, according to diplomats. Peter Cheney considers views of the continent from New Zealand and the USA. “The euro zone crisis is transfixing us in Wellington,” Vangelis Vitalis states. However, New Zealand’s Ambassador-designate to the EU is also troubled by Europe’s changing sense of perspective. “If I look over Europe now, even in the month that I’ve been here, I’ve been struck by how inward-looking Europe has become and the feedback that I get is that there’s likely to be an intensification of that inward-looking...[full story]
Politics: Departmental Dossier–DJEI
Monday, November 7th, 2011The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is a successor to the long-standing Department of Industry and Commerce, which was established at the foundation of the State. It has had 10 re-configurations since 1977, including the incorporation of employment policy into the department, which had been in the Department of Labour from 1966-1993. The department is seen as an important and economic one. It has five divisions: competitiveness and jobs; innovation and investment; commerce, consumer and competition; corporate services, employment rights and industrial relations; and EU...[full story]
