Managing Europe From Home: The Europeanisation of the Irish ...

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The Irish core executive consists of the Prime Minister, the Government, ministries known as departments (corresponding to all main areas of policy), and the civil or administrative service. In accordance with the 1937 Constitution, the Government is chosen by the lower house of Parliament, the Dáil 2 , through the election of a Prime Minister (Taoiseach) and the approval of his/her choice of ministers who are collectively responsible to the Dáil for every aspect of the administration’s activities. The 1937 Constitution places the Taoiseach in a powerful position as the head of the government. The Taoiseach nominates ministers, decides on the distribution of responsibilities among ministers and can sack them. If the Taoiseach resigns, the government falls. In addition to the Taoiseach’s structural position in the constitution, the Taoiseach controls the Cabinet agenda, is the head of a political party and has won an electoral mandate to hold office. Traditionally the debate on the role of the Irish prime minister has evolved around the notions of chairman or chief, which can be translated into the contemporary debate on cabinet or prime ministerial government (Farrell 1971; Smith 2000: 33). Given the convention of collective responsibility, which is deeply ingrained in the theory and practice of Irish government, the role of Taoiseach is more than that of chairman but is not so dominant as to warrant the title of prime ministerial government. The Constitution stipulates that the government shall consist of no less than 7 and no more than 15 ministers. The current government (June 2002 onwards) has 14 ministers. 3 Up to seventeen Ministers of State (junior ministers) can also be appointed, and at certain times (in particular in the run up to an EU Presidency) a Minister of State for European Affairs can be appointed. The new Government of 2 The Seanad (Senate) is the Upper House of the legislature (Oireachtas). 3 The Fianna Fail (FF) – Progressive Democrat Government formed in June 2002 - Taoiseach: Mr Bertie Ahern;Tánaiste and Enterprise,Trade & Employment: Ms Mary Harney (Progressive Democrat); Finance: Mr Charlie McCreevy (FF); Foreign Affairs: Mr Brian Cowen (FF); Justice, Equality and Law Reform: Mr Michael McDowell (Progressive Democrat); Agriculture & Food: Mr Joe Walsh (FF); Defence: Mr Michael Smith (FF); Environment & Local Government: Mr Martin Cullen (FF); Health & Children: Mr Micheál Martin (FF); Education & Science: Mr Noel Dempsey (FF); Transport: Mr Seamus Brennan (FF); Communications, the Marine and Natural Resources: Mr Dermot Ahern (FF); Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mr Eamon Ó Cuív (FF); Arts, Sport and Tourism: Mr John O'Donoghue (FF); Social & Family Affairs: Ms Mary Coughlan (FF); Attorney General: Mr Rory Brady SC; Government Chief Whip (junior ministerial post): Ms Mary Hanafin (FF); Minister of State for Europe: Mr Dick Roche (FF).
2002 appointed a Minister of State for European Affairs (based in both the Departments of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs), 14 other Ministers of State were also appointed. There is a ranking in the perceived importance of ministerial portfolios in Cabinet although ranking departments can be made difficult when departments are frequently reconfigured with the formation of a new government. 4 The hierarchy of ministerial portfolios, and as a consequence, government departments, has evolved over time and during the course of EU membership. In his 1980 work The Irish Administrative System, T.J. Barrington distinguished between three co-ordinating departments— the Taoiseach’s Department, the Department of Finance and the Department of Economic Planning and Development, while all the other departments were classified as operating departments. (Barrington 1980: 24). The Department of Economic Planning and Development survived for only two years. The Barrington classification does not capture the ranking of departments that exists in the contemporary system. Box 1 - The Irish Core Executive 1979 The Government Coordinating Departments: Taoiseach; Finance; Public Service; Economic Planning and Development Operating Departments Agriculture; Defence; Education; Environment; Fisheries and Forestry; Foreign Affairs; Gaeltacht; Health; Industry, Commerce and Energy; Justice; Labour; Posts and Telegraphs; Social Welfare; Tourism and Transport. Source: (Barrington 1980: 24) The Department of the Taoiseach is the heart of Government because it houses the Cabinet office and the administrative support structures for the prime minister. It remains a relatively small department (see Section II). Next in line is the Department of Finance, which is generally accepted as the most important line department because of its responsibility for economic management and public expenditure. The Department of Foreign Affairs, which was once regarded as a 4 See footnote 1.
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Organisational structure below mini
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Amsterdam and by the implementation
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Figure 9: Structure of Department o
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The recognition that a high quality
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and Children, Department of the Mar
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Department’s business in relation
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from the significant expansion of t
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Table 5: EU Committees in the Irish
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The Permanent Representation The Pe
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SECTION III - PROCESSES AND PROCEDU
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Within each department and across t
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and when the implementation of EC l
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departments have co-ordination unit
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Commission proposals on the introdu
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SECTION IV - THE AGENTS Participati
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margin and should use that margin w
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There are several well-entrenched n
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One senior Government advisor sugge
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• Cultivating ever better relatio
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will be an accessible database of t
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The above characteristics influence
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Department of the Environment and L
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O’Donnell, Rory. Ed. 2000. Europe
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Appendix 1 Table 6: Attendance by M
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Bar Chart 2: Infringement Proceedin
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