Political debate/think tanks in Ireland

[Lloyd-Apjohn]

I was at an 'Intelligence Squared' debate in London yesterday evening about whether British democracy is rotten and needs root and branch reform and I was wondering does Ireland have anything like it, or any policy think tanks in the way that the UK has, where political and other issues are debated and discussed and filtered into the public policy of the government of the day?

The Tories have The Adam Smith Inst and many others
Labour have The Fabian Society and many others
Liberals have Reform and many others

What do Irish parties have?

Also, here in the UK you can go to Intelligence Squared debates on a whole range of subjects or go to Hansard debates in the Commons and loads of other meetings but does Ireland have anything remotely similar, where the public can go and debate issues on a large scale and then get involved on a more detailed level to help shape and develop policy or is it all the dmoain of men with lots of money?

[Tommy Tayto]

Interesting thread, I'd be very keen to see what our bright young minds are proposing for the future. How would one actually go about working for a think tank? I suppose a degree in law/sociology/political science would be a start. I'd say p.ie is the closest thing we have to political brainstorming in this country!

[Lloyd-Apjohn]

Anyone with an interest in politics - the whole range of politics and public policy be it parliamentry or specific to a certain industry etc have a policy think tank in the UK but it seems there isn't even one in Ireland. It's not even that we are a small country as other small countries like Israel and the Netherlands and Belgium have plenty of their own policy think tanks.

Then I guess a few years in a policy exchange arena while you finish a degree or do research for a PhD or something would be very helpful.

[croppyboy]

I was at an 'Intelligence Squared' debate in London yesterday evening about whether British democracy is rotten and needs root and branch reform and I was wondering does Ireland have anything like it, or any policy think tanks in the way that the UK has, where political and other issues are debated and discussed and filtered into the public policy of the government of the day?

The Tories have The Adam Smith Inst and many others
Labour have The Fabian Society and many others
Liberals have Reform and many others

What do Irish parties have?

Also, here in the UK you can go to Intelligence Squared debates on a whole range of subjects or go to Hansard debates in the Commons and loads of other meetings but does Ireland have anything remotely similar, where the public can go and debate issues on a large scale and then get involved on a more detailed level to help shape and develop policy or is it all the dmoain of men with lots of money?

Agree with all your post although feel your last line betrays prejudices and introduces strong subjectivity into an otherwise useful contribution.

We don't have thinktanks in Ireland as such, I also have often lamented this. In the UK it is quite standard practice for aspirant politicians to actually work full time in these institutions (David Cameron is an example) before entering parliament with a serendipitous byelection.

Returning to the original point however money is not the arbritater of political debate. Student societies are home to probably the most proflic and competent debates in the country, on a nightly basis. (I had a rare quiet night during my years in TCD)

What is needed is a forum and sufficient interest to generate energy and a crowd about the place. There was a Fianna Fáil-led forum setup some years back in Dublin, Tíonol FF, Whilst associated with a particular party the debate was unbiased it hosted some excellent cross party speakers (including northern unionists, trade unionists and scottish nationalists!) before eventually running out of steam after the initial organisers moved on.

Leviathan in Dublin features quartely debates which I believe are highly rated, however where I do feel we have a gap is a full time, funded organisation with staff dedicated to policy development. Whilst the UK and US have a plethora of these they are indeed a lot larger. The countries you mention in your later post, whilst small globally, are still larger than Ireland in population. Netherlands = 16M, Belgium ~ 8M, Israel ~ 8M. Are you sure they have think tanks and if so, how are they funded and what sort of output do they produce?

[Mr.De-Regulation]

So typically Irish, "we cant we have this?" Get off your arse and do it yourself. If you want a think tank, find some people that think the same as you, set up a blog, make it look nice, get some businesses funding you and bam, a think tank.

[fool]

We don't have thinktanks in Ireland as such,

Yes we do;
tasc Site

[The Caped Cod]

The Tories have The Adam Smith Inst and many others
Labour have The Fabian Society and many others
Liberals have Reform and many others

Fianna Fail have the drinks tent at the Galway Races, where they usually discuss financial and economic policy with the leaders in irish industry.

[croppyboy]

Yes we do;
tasc Site

That's interesting and I hadn't been aware of it. Seems a fairly serious selection of individuals. However they don't seem to be making many waves in the popular consciousness. I've never seen them quoted in national press. Do they engage more at an academic level?

[The Caped Cod]

Do Common Purpose count as a think tank?

[croppyboy]

Do Common Purpose count as a think tank?

Who are they? Link?