Changes in Government policy in Ireland
Explain the change in Government objectives between mid 2005 /2007 and now and how has this affected Government policy
This essay looks at the change in Government objectives between mid 2005/2007 and now and critically assesses how this has affected Government Policy. The stunning economic performance known as the Celtic Tiger was in its tenth year in 2005. Peter Sweeny uses the quote from W.B Yeats when he said after the 1916 Rising which led to Irish Independence “all’s changed, changed utterly. A terrible beauty is born”. Sweeny tells us that with the Irish economic boom, all’s changed utterly, the outcome is celebrated by virtually everyone and the beauty is far from terrible. (Sweeny 2008). However Sweeny was still basking in the glow of Ireland’s economic success as his book was written in 2007. The recent Global economic downturn has impacted hard on the small open Irish economy necessitating major changes in Government policy to be implemented swiftly and decisively. However is a case of too little too late? Will the people of Ireland accept these changes in light of government mismanagement and in some cases out and out wastefulness? This essay argues that Ireland in 2005 was in a unique position to protect itself against the potential or expected downturn in Global economic fortunes however government objectives and subsequent policy decisions did not reflect this. This is not to say that there would have been no effect on Ireland; however this essay attempts to outline the areas where changes in policy decisions may have supported a faster economic recovery in Ireland’s case. The essay begins by outlining the economic reality in 2005 - 2007 and now in terms of growth rates, GNP, GDP figures, Unemployment statistics, Global competitive reports and other pertinent statistics. It then reviews government objectives and policies during this period. In exploring
This essay looks at the change in Government objectives between mid 2005/2007 and now and critically assesses how this has affected Government Policy. The stunning economic performance known as the Celtic Tiger was in its tenth year in 2005. Peter Sweeny uses the quote from W.B Yeats when he said after the 1916 Rising which led to Irish Independence “all’s changed, changed utterly. A terrible beauty is born”. Sweeny tells us that with the Irish economic boom, all’s changed utterly, the outcome is celebrated by virtually everyone and the beauty is far from terrible. (Sweeny 2008). However Sweeny was still basking in the glow of Ireland’s economic success as his book was written in 2007. The recent Global economic downturn has impacted hard on the small open Irish economy necessitating major changes in Government policy to be implemented swiftly and decisively. However is a case of too little too late? Will the people of Ireland accept these changes in light of government mismanagement and in some cases out and out wastefulness? This essay argues that Ireland in 2005 was in a unique position to protect itself against the potential or expected downturn in Global economic fortunes however government objectives and subsequent policy decisions did not reflect this. This is not to say that there would have been no effect on Ireland; however this essay attempts to outline the areas where changes in policy decisions may have supported a faster economic recovery in Ireland’s case. The essay begins by outlining the economic reality in 2005 - 2007 and now in terms of growth rates, GNP, GDP figures, Unemployment statistics, Global competitive reports and other pertinent statistics. It then reviews government objectives and policies during this period. In exploring