Introduction: Seventy years of commenting on public administration and governance

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In the academic literature governance is a contested term. It is about how organisations are run and the oversight and accountability that are encompassed in this process. However, it can also be viewed in terms of delivery, ‘getting things done’. In the public service this equates to implementing government policy, which is why the term is sometimes seen as synonymous with public management. Collaborative governance recognises that delivering on many government policies requires different sectors and levels of government working across organisational boundaries. This presents its own additional set of challenges. This paper reviews the governance of public service reform since the financial crisis in 2011. This is a policy area that clearly requires a ‘joined-up’ approach. The paper uses a governance framework that emerged from an extensive research programme between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Institute of Public Administration examining water governance arrangements. While it is clear that governance matters a great deal, achieving it in practice can be complex. This paper identifies strengths and weaknesses in respect of the governance of public service reform and makes recommendations for improvements.
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Governance of reform in the Irish public service

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The concept of a policy advisory system (PAS) is devised to study the diverse range of actors involved in the policy formulation process from a system level. An optimal PAS should be adaptable, autonomous and transparent, and should deliver substantive and timely advice. This article discusses factors influencing developments in Ireland’s PAS, including the broader trends of politicisation and externalisation. The findings are informed by interviews and a survey circulated to Irish civil servants who perform policy worker tasks and are engaged in providing advice to ministers. The research finds that new structural and institutional arrangements introduced to Ireland’s PAS have created a greater capacity for evidence-based advice in the internal PAS and a more contested space for policy advice. It also highlights that this has not fundamentally disturbed embedded characteristics of the Irish policymaking environment. Political demand pressures from ministers (both personal and electoral) can drive elements of politicisation within the civil service whereby policy advice is weighted or discarded based on ministerial preferences.
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‘Best advice available’ – Challenge and change in developing an optimal policy advisory system in Ireland

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This paper examines the resistance of Irish regions to potential future economic shock, focusing specifically on employment change in firms in receipt of assistance from the Irish government’s enterprise development agencies. The paper classifies both regions and sectors in terms of their employment performance during the course of the 2011–22 period and assesses the roles of sectoral composition and firm nationality in shaping regional performance. While nationality mix is significant, sectoral composition is seen as having a more important impact on regional employment performance. It then uses the same approach to predict the performance of regions in the context of potential future shocks post 2022. The paper suggests that the Border region is the least resistant to potential future shock. Other regions with relatively low resistance include the Mid East and the Midlands. The paper subsequently considers the implications of the findings for both regional economic divergence trends and the policy aim of balanced regional development in Ireland.
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Regional economic resistance and divergence in Ireland, 2011–22

Strengthening national capacity for policy engagement in Ireland: A review of progress

Promoting rational decision-making and enhancing transparency in the public service

From recovery to growth: Local authority role in economic development

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Administration

 PRINT ISSN: 0001-8325ONLINE ISSN: 2449-9471  Administration is the peer-reviewed journal of the Institute of Public Administration of Ireland. It has been published quarterly since 1953. As the principal journal concerned with Irish public administration and its development, it seeks to combine original scholarship on public administration from a variety of disciplines with the insights and experiences of practitioners.  Rejection Rate   80%   Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 

Administration

Volume 71 (2023): Issue 3 (August 2023)

Note from the editor

Introduction: Seventy years of commenting on public administration and governance

Articles

Governance of reform in the Irish public service

‘Best advice available’ – Challenge and change in developing an optimal policy advisory system in Ireland

Regional economic resistance and divergence in Ireland, 2011–22

Forum

Strengthening national capacity for policy engagement in Ireland: A review of progress

Promoting rational decision-making and enhancing transparency in the public service

From recovery to growth: Local authority role in economic development

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