TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology

Prospects for Ireland
In so many ways, with greater wisdom, growing maturity and grateful prosperity, Ireland has
come of age and taken its place among the nations of the world. The massive budget deficits,
crippling taxation and debilitating emigration have gone. Corruption, seemingly endemic at
several levels in society, has been exposed to public scrutiny. Abuse by those in authority has
been laid bare. And hostilities in the North appear to be at an end. The State is a highly
respected and fully participative member of the European Union and a well-regarded
peacekeeper and caring nation in the international community. There is also plenty of evidence
that many people are having a thoroughly good time resulting from the boom years of the Celtic
Tiger. Nevertheless, there is an alarming lack of respect for society’s institutions and a
pervasive cynicism about politics and the agencies of government. Where is Ireland going? and
how will it be led? are common questions of the moment. Some twenty of the most significant
governance issues and trends identified for Ireland are listed below.
1. With regard to quality of governance, which is widely recognised as the prime
determinant of a country’s position and potential, Ireland boasts a well-developed
interlocking system of parliamentary, judiciary and press scrutiny, clear lines of
responsibility and accountability, EU oversight, an independent Competition
Authority, a series of independent regulators and a meritocratic civil service.
Agents of government, however, are having to cope with expanding complexity,
increased uncertainty and an accelerating pace of change. There are more things to
manage, with more constraints; more levels and connections in the decision process;
and more voices and more expertise to capture. Order and stability through abode,
occupation, employment, and networks of family and friends is giving way to a
condition of almost constant mutation described by individualism, diversity,
mobility, choice, opportunity and risk -– the ‘Mosaic Society’. To address this,
Ireland needs to maintain a system of flexible, effective and agile government.
2. The formation of a devolved Northern Ireland administration is a truly historic event
which brings with it the hope of a peaceful and prosperous outlook for the whole
island of Ireland, and the possibility of all-island governance structures at some
time in the future. Business across the island, for example, would gain from better
and more integrated transport, energy and communications infrastructure, an
improved primary road and rail network, and better harmonized energy and
broadband markets.
3. Unlike its predecessors, the National Development Plan 2007 – 2013 will be financed
almost exclusively by Irish revenues. Balanced regional development is generally
accepted as essential to the nation’s prosperity, but there is a lack of suitable
governance structures and mechanisms for coordination, coherence and control in
the regions. A given geographic area may have many different regional or statutory
bodies, each covering particular areas of activity, but none having overall
responsibility for the implementation of the plan. Unsurprisingly perhaps, the
Gateway workshops conducted as part of this study were as one in calling for city
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