Political Corruption in Ireland 1922 - 2010: A Crooked Harp?

This book is the only scholarly account of Irish corruption from 1922-2010. It empirically maps the decline in standards since the inauguration of Irish independence in 1922, to the loss of Irish economic sovereignty in 2010.
This volume offers important perspectives on corruption theory. It argues that the definition of corruption is an evolving one. As the nature of the state changes, so too does the type of corruption. An incremental legal revolution, which emphasised individual rights instead of moral responsibilities, has occurred. The Irish party system, political culture and media influenced the character of Irish corruption. New evidence is presented on the early institutional development of the state. Irish public life was motivated by an ethos which rejected patronage and which sought to build a political framework on ethical foundations.
Original archival research provides fresh insights into how the policies of economic protectionalism and discretionary decision making ultimately led to eight official Tribunal inquires into scandal. The emergence of state capture within political decision making is examined by analysing political favouritism towards the beef industry. Unorthodox links between political donations and business or personal interests was the principal cause of scandal. The degree to which this impacted on policy choices which exacerbated the depth of Ireland’s economic collapse and necessitated intervention by the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank in 2010 is considered.
This book will appeal to students and scholars of Irish politics, corruption theory, governance, public policy and political financing.