The Politics of Local Government Reform in Northern Ireland

Abstract

A major review of public administration in Northern Ireland has resulted in proposals for radical reforms in health, education and local government services. Although originating from the devolved government of 1999, intermittent suspensions resulted in Direct Rule Ministers taking over responsibility for the review. This article traces the influence of a sizeable body of research evidence on the outcomes of the review, specifically controversial reforms to local government, and the significant influence attached to macro political factors in reaching key public policy decisions. It also highlights the asymmetry in power relations between Stormont and local government and how devolution has simply compounded regional centralism in Northern Ireland.

Key Words:

• Review of Public Administration
• Northern Ireland
• local government
• evidence based policy making
• central–local relations

Notes

1 Until the current power-sharing Assembly took office on 8 May 2007, there had been four periods of devolution in Northern Ireland since the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement: 2 December 1999–11 February 2000; 30 May 2000–10 August 2001; 12 August 2001–21 September 2001; and 23 September 2001–14 October 2002.

2 The key reforms include: the review of public administration; investment strategy for Northern Ireland; water, rating, health and education reforms; welfare modernisation; and civil service reform.

3 The Further Consultation document secured 1032 responses but was used in a concerted campaign by the education sector to lobby around two specific reform issues – the future of: the Catholic Council for Maintained Schools (CCMS), and the youth services. Extracting the campaign-related responses (n = 589) resulted in 443 ‘usable’ replies to the consultation.

4 See responses from individual local authorities (www.rpani.gov.uk).