Irish Environmental Policy after the Economic Crisis

Abstract

This chapter employs qualitative analysis to apply the Index of Policy Activity (IPA) to environmental policy in Ireland between 1995 and 2016. It develops the IPA by deploying the new indicator of ‘provenance’, which enables the lack of environmental policy innovation in Ireland to be demonstrated, finding the state to be a ‘policy-taker’ from the European Union. The chapter shows that, while Ireland was hugely affected by the economic crisis of 2007–8 and became the subject of a complex bailout from the Troika, the impact upon environmental policy has been limited. Ireland was a relative laggard prior to the crisis, and possessed a Green coalition government, so there have been few demands or scope for reversals and deregulation. Ironically, the chapter finds that crisis has been good for environmental policy outcomes and that a return to growth may pose the biggest challenge for the future of the Irish environment.