This book provides a critical and theoretically-informed assessment of the nature and types of structural change occurring in the Irish welfare state in the context of the 2008 economic crisis. Its overarching framework for conceptualising and analysing welfare state change and its political, economic and social implications is based around four crucial questions, namely what welfare is for, who delivers welfare, who pays for welfare, and who benefits.  Over the course of ten chapters, the authors examine the answers as they relate to social protection, labour market activation, pensions, finance, water, early child education and care, health, housing and corporate welfare.  They also innovatively address the impact of crisis on the welfare state in Northern Ireland. The result is to isolate key drivers of structural welfare reform, and assess how globalisation, financialisation, neo-liberalisation, privatisation, marketisation and new public management have deepened and diversified their impact on the post-crisis Irish welfare state. This in-depth analysis will appeal to sociologists, economists, political scientists and welfare state practitioners interested in the Irish welfare state and more generally in the analysis of welfare state change.

Mary P. Murphy is Lecturer in Irish Politics and Society at Maynooth University, Ireland
Fiona Dukelow is a Lecturer in the Department of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork, Ireland

Introduction; Mary P. Murphy and Fiona Dukelow.- Chapter 1. Welfare states: how they change and why; Fiona Dukelow and Mary P. Murphy.- Chapter 2. The Irish social protection system: change in comparative context; Mel Cousins.- Chapter 3. Activation: solving unemployment or supporting a low pay economy?; Micheál L. Collins and Mary P. Murphy.- Chapter 4. Redistribution in the Irish pension system: upside down?; Gerard Hughes and Michelle Maher.- Chapter 5. Personal finance: financial services, access, credit and debt management; Stuart Stamp.- Chapter 6. Irish water services reform: past, present and future; Fiona Dukelow.- Chapter 7. Reform of the Irish healthcare system: what reform?; Sara Burke.- Chapter 8. Early childhood education and dare: a neglected policy arena?; Nóirín Hayes.- Chapter 9. New managerialism: a political project in Irish education; Bernie Grummell and Kathleen Lynch.- Chapter 10.- Social housing policy and provision: a changing regime?; Joe Finnerty, Cathal OConnell and Siobhan OSullivan.- Chapter 11. Crisis and corporate welfare; Nat OConnor and Paul Sweeney.- Chapter 12. Ireland and crisis: one island, two different experiences; Féilim Ó hAdhmaill.- Conclusion; Mary P. Murphy and Fiona Dukelow.

Winner of the 2017 Miriam Hederman O¿Brien Award for original work in Irish fiscal policy
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