Is Ireland a glorified rubber stamp?

Answer 1

I would agree with the assertion not, as one might suspect, because a significant amount of control has already being ceded to the European parliament and the EU in general, but rather because the Irish Parliament has effectively become redundant with the advent of social partnership in the last 20 years and in addition the structures themselves within the Irish democratic system do not lend itself to open expression. So to expand on these two primary points lets first briefly discuss the negative impact, if one is inclined to see it as such, the EU has had. A significant portion of news regulations coming out of the EU require the approval of each member state at parliament level. In truth the Dail is effectively rubber stamping these decisions whilst it is the members of the European Parliament (16 Irish Approx) who have a formal and therefore fruitful input at the legislation design stage. With respect to my key primary point, the advent of social partnership, it is fair to say the influence of the partners (employer and employee bodies, government and the connected groups) has grown enormously over the referred to time span. Some people would now argue their influence is now too strong, especially as these groups have not being democratically elated by the people but rather represent vested interests. In my view there is no doubt the government does pander to these powerful groups to the detriment of our elected representatives performing their supposed role. One could expand on this to a great length but suffice it to say this process disenfranchises the majority of Dail representatives. The second primary point related to the structures that discourages full participation of al 166 elected representatives invariably the government of a coalition (two or more parties) who form a majority and manage the affairs of the country. However the inner circle of ministers (approx 16) and junior ministers (approx 12) run the show meaning the other members of the government are rendered useless except to toe the party line and rubber stamp any legislation produced. On the other side of the house are the opposition parties who by virtue of being in a minority are doing nothing other than partaking in a talking shop. In conclusion of role of the Dail deputy and the Irish parliament in particular, a frustrated by outside influences (the EU & Social Partnership) over which it exercises little if no control compounded than by the ineffective structures within.