Irish Social Policy ─ A Critical Introduction

When the first edition of Irish Social Policy was published in 2009, Ireland’s enduring economic crisis was only beginning to emerge. In the time since, nearly all areas of Irish social policy have been significantly affected as policy makers have sought to combat the numerous, multifaceted social challenges posed by Ireland’s economic downfall. Retaining the first edition’s original structure and the same highly accessible style, this second edition of Irish Social Policy is fully updated and revised to reflect these dramatic shifts. Needs and risks associated with recession and economic precarity have escalated while social services have simultaneously been forced to cope with significant cutbacks and restructuring. Changes in the landscape of policy making processes and policy drivers are also occurring, as are shifts in the politics and ideas underpinning Ireland’s social policy. Particularly timely in light of these ongoing changes, this imperative book offers a comprehensive and in-depth introduction to social policy in the evolving Ireland of today.

Fiona Dukelow and Mairead Considine are lecturers in the School of Applied Social Studies at University College Cork.