Search results for ""Author Gary Murphy""

With exclusive access to the Haughey archives, Gary Murphy presents a reassessment of Charles Haughey’s life and legacy. Saint or sinner? He was the most talented and influential politician of his generation, and his presence still looms over the Irish body politic, yet the very roots of his success – his charisma, his intelligence, his ruthlessness, his secrecy – have rendered almost impossible any objective evaluation of his life and work. He is, depending on whom you ask, either the great villain of Irish political life or the benevolent and forward-thinking saviour of a benighted nation. That is, until now. Based on unfettered access to Haughey’s personal archives, as well as extensive interviews with over 80 of his peers, rivals, confidantes and relatives, Haughey is a rich and nuanced portrait of a man of prodigious gifts, who, for all his flaws and many contradictions, came to define modern Ireland. ‘A superbly balanced exploration of the life and politics of one of the most fascinating figures in 20th century Ireland.’ Professor John Horgan ‘An indispensable read for anyone with an interest in modern Irish history.’ David McCullagh ‘Offers much new detail - and not a few surprises - about the personality and career of a political titan who is still, in equal measure, revered and reviled in 21st century Ireland.’ Conor Brady

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This major new account of the politics of modern Ireland offers a rigorous analysis of the forces which shaped both how the Irish state governed itself from the period since 1987 and how it lost its economic sovereignty in 2010. This study comprehensively assess the last quarter century in Irish electoral politics from the time of the end of a deep recession in 1987 to the general election of 2011 where Ireland was ruled by the Troika and austerity was a by-word for both policy-making and how many Irish people lived their lives. It analyses why the political system in Ireland was unable to stop the country losing its economic sovereignty and why the Irish electorate kept returning to political alternatives which they had rejected in the past. Written in a lively and engaging style it offers rich insights into the politics of modern Ireland and how Irish citizens have lived through a period combining triumphant euphoria and deep despair.

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"The Age of Lemass" focuses on the impact of Sean Lemass on Irish politics and society between 1945 and 1973. Although Lemass had been active in Irish politics from 1916 and became Minister for Industry and Commerce in 1932 in the first de Valera government, the essays here suggest that his influence was greatest after 1945. Lemass developed his thinking to meet the challenges of the post-war world, and although he was sixty in 1959, he sought to modernize Irish society. Thus it can be argued that his influence on contemporary Ireland was greater than that of de Valera.

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Governments worldwide are developing sunshine policies that increase transparency in politics, where a key initiative is regulating lobbyists. Building on the pioneering first edition, this book updates its examination of all jurisdictions with regulations, from the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Australia. Unlike any book, it offers unique insights into how the regulations compare and contrast against each other, offering a revamped theoretical classification of different regulatory environments and situating each political system therein. This edition innovatively considers different measurements to capture the robustness of lobbying laws in terms of promoting transparency and accountability. And, based on the authors’ experience of advising governments globally, it closes with a no-nonsense guide on how to make a lobbying law. This is of value to policymakers seeking to introduce or amend regulations, and lobbyists seeking to influence this process.

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