Are Our Institutions Fit for Purpose? Political Reform in the Republic of Ireland.
Conference to be held in Trinity College Dublin
Monday, June 22nd
This year marks the ninetieth anniversary of the first Dáil session at the Mansion House. In keeping with this spirit of regeneration, this conference will provide a forum for Ireland’s leading political scientists, political commentators, and interested practitioners to come together to discuss their views on political reform. The conference will seek to provide a straightforward and understandable analysis of our current political institutions, as well as laying out options for future reform, based on extensive academic research.
The conference is open to anyone who wishes to join in.
There will be significant time throughout the conference for all participants to ask questions and voice opinions. The idea of the conference is to lay out options for political reform in Ireland in clear and simple terms, and to debate the pros and cons of these options.
Public participation is vital in this process as any drive for institutional change will require significant, informed popular support to be successful. In order for us to keep on top of the numbers that will be involved, we ask that you email us at: politicalreformireland@gmail.com to let us know if you plan to come along.
The conference will be structured into three sessions and will close with a round table discussion involving participants from all three sessions as well as members of the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution. Each session will include expert speakers who have published academic research on the institution being discussed, and respondents, who have intimate knowledge of that institution from the worlds of politics and journalism.
9:00 – 9:30 Opening remarks Prof. Neil Collins (UCC) President of the Political Studies Association of Ireland (PSAI)
‘It’s not just the economy stupid – the role of political science in the modern policy environment’
9:30 – 11:15 Session 1: Governance and accountability
Chair: Dr. Elaine Byrne (Irish Times)
Presentation 1:
Prof. John Coakley (UCD) – Political culture in Ireland – where we can go from here?
Presentation 2:
Prof. Gary Murphy (DCU) – Interest groups, lobbying and the policy-making process: how best to promote transparency.
Discussant: Karen Coleman, Newstalk
Presentation 3:
Dr. Eoin O’Malley (DCU) The governmental system: fit for purpose?
Discussant: Mark Brennock, Director of Public Affairs at Murray Consultants
Open Discussion
11:30 – 1:00 Session 2: Elections and Electoral Systems
Chair: Matthew Wall (TCD PhD Scholar)
Presentation 1:
Prof. Michael Marsh (TCD) – Do Elections do what we want them to do?
Discussant: Fionnan Sheehan, Political Editor Irish Independent
Presentation 2:
Prof. Richard Sinnott (UCD) PRSTV – alternatives and impacts
Discussant: Dr. Garrett FitzGerald, Former Taoiseach
Open Discussion
1:00 – 2:00 Lunch
2:00 – 3:30 Session 3: Parliament and Local Government
Chair: Jane Suiter (TCD PhD Scholar)
Presentation 1:
Dr. Liam Weeks/Dr. Aodh Quinlivan (UCC) Local Government – options for reform
Presentation 2:
Prof. Michael Gallagher (TCD) The Role of TDs in the political system
Presentation 3:
Dr. Muiris MacCarthaigh (IPA, Geary Institute, UCD) Oireachtas Reform
Discussants: Noel Whelan, Irish Times coloumnist.
Sean Ardagh TD, Chair of The Joint Committee on the Constitution
Open Discussion
3.30 – 3.45: Coffee
4.00 – 5:30: Round Table Discussion: what next? options for reform
Introduction Dr. Maura Adshead (UL)
Chair: Aine Lawlor, Morning Ireland RTE Radio One
5:30 onwards: Book Launch/Wine Reception for:
‘Politics in Ireland: Convergence and Divergence in a Two-Polity Island’
by Maura Adshead and Jonathan Tonge (Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan)