Are we there yet? Reforming Ireland’s local government system
Local government systems are constantly being tweaked in
order to increase democracy, improve
effectiveness and reflect international trends. Ireland is no exception and
over the past quarter of a century the reform effort has gathered momentum.
This paper examines the influences which shaped the reform trajectory and
analyses the outcomes for both the bureaucracy and the democracy. It focuses on the continuities and
contradictions of the various reform packages and the degree to which they
reflect international reform trends. The paper assesses the extent to
which reform measures have been effective and appropriate to the Irish context.
By setting the approaches and outcomes
in Ireland against international trends, it is possible to assess whether the reforms are faddish or are
really providing Irish solutions to Irish problems.