Inaugural Maynooth University Visiting Scholar Lecture: “Learning from Latin America: Lessons from the periphery in a time of austerity”

Prof Eduardo Silva will deliver the inaugural Maynooth University Visiting Scholar Lecture: “Learning from Latin America: Lessons from the periphery in a time of austerity” on Tuesday, 5th May 2015, with responses from Dr Mary Murphy, Maynooth University Department of Sociology and Dr David Begg, former General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. The evening begins with a reception in Pugin Hall at 6.00pm, with…

The ‘Spring Economic Statement’: yet another missed opportunity for real political reform

The Spring Economic Statement delivered today (see here) represents a very belated dipping of the toe in the water towards greater budgetary transparency by the government. We were promised this in 2011. The fact that it’s finally starting to happen four years later and coincidentally on the eve of the next election – is noteworthy.…

The Coming Storm: what will Election 2016 bring us?

At most a year out from the general election, we are beginning to see some shape to what could be the most formative election in recent memory. The 2011 election was called an ‘earthquake election’ by some political scientists because on many metrics we saw remarkable changes, it was one of the most volatile elections in…

Report of the Seanad Working Group on Reform

post by Elaine Byrne 13 April 201 The report of the Seanad Working Group on Reform was published today. It can be accessed here. The proposals include votes for the 800,000 Irish passport holders abroad, residents in Northern Ireland and popular election. A draft Bill will be published shortly which seeks to implement the proposals…

Voice or Vote? The Central Access Scheme controversy

Post by Vanessa Liston The controversy over the Central Access Scheme (CAS) in Kilkenny city has raised some important issues about local democracy in Ireland. One of these concerns the link between elected representatives and citizens. On the one hand those who, for different reasons oppose the scheme, claim that democracy is dead. Councilors do…