Journal Articles

Low road or high road? The post-crisis trajectory of Irish activation

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Comparatively slow in adopting any clear activation strategy, post-crisis Ireland crossed the
Rubicon and rapidly took steps to implement a work-first labour activation strategy. The article
maps and examines the interaction of three variables – ideational influences, political interests
and institutional processes – to assess the nature of post-crisis Irish activation policy. Troika
imposition of aid conditionality, the ideational role of the OECD and domestic elites worked to
shift the focus of Irish activation policy and its implementation. Post-crisis Irish activation is less
influenced by social democratic versions of high-road activation than neo-liberal managerial
stock management and conservative behavioural controls. These converge into a low-road
model of activation. There is some demand for, but little articulation of, an alternative policy
that could be centred around less conditionality and more focus on demand-side issues
including low pay, quality work, distribution of employment and removal of barriers to
employment.

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Detail Information

Series Title

Critical Social Policy

Call Number

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Publisher

Thousand Oaks : Sage Publications., 2016

Collation

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Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

02610183

Classification

NONE

Content Type

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Media Type

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Carrier Type

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Edition

Volume 36, Issue 3, August 2016; pp. 432–452

Subject(s)

Ireland
Politics
Activation
europeanisation
post-crisis

Specific Detail Info

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Statement of Responsibility

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