Publication: Case Study 1 - Ireland : Participation in Macroeconomic Policy
Making and Reform
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2003-03
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2012-08-13
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Since 1987, Ireland has developed five "social partnership" agreements, with the latest launched in February 2000 called the "Program for Prosperity and Fairness"1. This program outlines a comprehensive set of economic and social objectives finalized over extensive consultations among the government and a range of civil society organizations from November 1999 to February 2000. The idea of social partnerships evolved in the late 80s when Ireland was going through a tough recession (1980-87), aggravated by high inflation, heavy public borrowing and deficit, and loss of manufacturing base. The NESC (National Economic and Social Council), formed in 1973 to play an advisory role to the government on "the development of the national economy and the achievement of social justice", has, since 1986, been facilitating consultations among a range of social partners to go through a process of shared learning for an inclusive overview of socioeconomic 'options, challenges and trade offs'. In 1990, NESC identified essential elements for a consistent policy framework within a national strategy as follows: i) macro-economic policy securing low inflation and steady growth, ii) evolution of incomes which underpins competitiveness while handling conflict over distribution, and iii) promotion of structural change to adapt to changing external environment.
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“World Bank. 2003. Case Study 1 - Ireland : Participation in Macroeconomic Policy
Making and Reform. Social Development Notes; No. 77. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11314 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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