A Federal structure for Ireland

[epml2000]

Has any party thought that the solution to the over concentration of population and businesses in Dublin is a federal structure? If there ever is Irish Unity the North would neatly slot into this structure. This would deal properly with decentralisation and each state could promote a proper spatial strategy and have real teeth to encourage inward investment. They would have all the instruments to hand to create vibrant hubs outside Dublin.
Say a Dublin state, a Leinster state, a Connaught/Ulster state and a Munster state. Each would be devolved major economic powers, agriculture, transport maybe even health and social security and even policing but not powers over personal rights. The Federal Ggovernment in Dublin would deal with macro policies in terms of the economy, education, health etc but the states would deal with day to day implementation.
This is a truly radical vision. Before you say that Ireland is too small what about Austria and Switzerland?

[Jozer]

RSF might be interested in your idea

[Cael]

Yes, this has been Sinn Féin's position, as stated in the Éire Nua document, since the 1970s. (Except for a short time between 1983 and 1986 when Gerry Adams was president.)

[KeithM]

What we need in this country is less government not another pointless level.

Get rid of the Senate. Get rid of all the current city and county councils. Have regional councils which are in charge of local services (and have the power to adjust VAT at a local level and can provide incentives to foreign investment.

Move various (and most importantly appropriate) government deparent s to the regional capitals, leaving only Foreign Affairs in Dublin. Move the Justice/ Four Courts etc. to Cork, Gaeltacht to Galway, Agriculture to Limerick etc.

[THR]

Federalism is workable in countries which are either ethnically diverse, such as Switzerland or Belgium, or are immensely vast, such as Canada and Australia. A federal system in a country such as Austria has often been critisized for being a completely too burdensome.

In the case of Ireland it is obvious that if there ever was a united Ireland, the North will have to be granted some sort of autonomy, at least temporary one but for the rest of the country it would be completely unnecessary.

[rockofcashel]

I've argued this here on a few occasions. I'll give RSF the credit, Eire Nua is a very interesting document

[Dasayev]

I'd agree with a federal structure and the abolishment of county councils. Centralised government in Ireland is essentially an English import, and returning to something similar to the old Gaelic Order would increase power to ordinary people throughout Ireland, and hopefully restore confidence in politics in general.

A bonus of having proper local government would mean that people would not be so parochial at a General Election, perferring instead to think national (for example Martin Cullen being judged by the electorate on his role as Minister for Transport, instead of his links to Waterford).

In a Federal Ireland I'd have six Provinces made up of Dublin (that would also include parts of Meath, Louth, Kildare and Wicklow) , Leinster (Laois, Kildare, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford), Connacht, Ulster, Munster and the restoration of the old province of Midhe (Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Longford and Louth).



The Flag of a future Republic of Dublin, perhaps?

[Defeated Romanticist]

Dasayev Posted:

I'd agree with a federal structure and the abolishment of county councils. Centralised government in Ireland is essentially an English import, and returning to something similar to the old Gaelic Order would increase power to ordinary people throughout Ireland, and hopefully restore confidence in politics in general.

A bonus of having proper local government would mean that people would not be so parochial at a General Election, perferring instead to think national (for example Martin Cullen being judged by the electorate on his role as Minister for Transport, instead of his links to Waterford).

In a Federal Ireland I'd have six Provinces made up of Dublin (that would also include parts of Meath, Louth, Kildare and Wicklow) , Leinster (Laois, Kildare, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford), Connacht, Ulster, Munster and the restoration of the old province of Midhe (Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Longford and Louth).



The Flag of a future Republic of Dublin, perhaps?

I Agree to an extent. I would also have 6 provinces in a UI situation. Ulster, Belfast city state, Dublin City State, Leinster (undivided and with Enniscorthy as capital), Munster and Connacht.
I would also abolish County Councils but would have elected mayors in each county with real power unlike the sham democracy which passes for local govt. in this country. In this situation I would reduce the size of the Dail to 100 and decentralise many of its functions and powers leaving an American senate type house to prevail.

[Dasayev]

Dasayev Posted:

I'd agree with a federal structure and the abolishment of county councils. Centralised government in Ireland is essentially an English import, and returning to something similar to the old Gaelic Order would increase power to ordinary people throughout Ireland, and hopefully restore confidence in politics in general.

A bonus of having proper local government would mean that people would not be so parochial at a General Election, perferring instead to think national (for example Martin Cullen being judged by the electorate on his role as Minister for Transport, instead of his links to Waterford).

In a Federal Ireland I'd have six Provinces made up of Dublin (that would also include parts of Meath, Louth, Kildare and Wicklow) , Leinster (Laois, Kildare, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford), Connacht, Ulster, Munster and the restoration of the old province of Midhe (Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Longford and Louth).



The Flag of a future Republic of Dublin, perhaps?

I Agree to an extent. I would also have 6 provinces in a UI situation. Ulster, Belfast city state, Dublin City State, Leinster (undivided and with Enniscorthy as capital), Munster and Connacht.
I would also abolish County Councils but would have elected mayors in each county with real power unlike the sham democracy which passes for local govt. in this country. In this situation I would reduce the size of the Dail to 100 and decentralise many of its functions and powers leaving an American senate type house to prevail.

Perhaps your idea of a Belfast city state could be extended to include all of Antrim and Down, and called something like East Ulster. This may help unionists console themselves with the idea of a United Ireland.

[Munion]

What's needed is less government and not more.

Scrap the notion of county councils and implement a dozen or so regions based on geographical logic and not history.

Scrap the pointless Seanad.

Replace the position of County/City Manager with a directly electable (ie. actually accountable) position of Mayor/Governor for each region.

Scrap the stupid idea of 3/4/5 seater constituencies whose boundaries have to be constantly drawn and redrawn. Instead each of the dozen or so regions becomes a constituency and a balance is struck between direct candidate votes and party list votes ala. Scotland.

Total Elected Officials
1 President
166 TDs
12 Regional Governors
X Amount of Regional Councillors