ABSTRACT
The cabinet and Taoiseach (prime minister) are the legal and political apex of public decision-making in Ireland. While in theory they might be expected simply to execute decisions made by the Houses of the Oireachtas (parliament), in reality the government is more powerful than that. This chapter explores how government in Ireland operates and considers a number of different models describing the distribution of power in the political executive there. It first describes the process of forming a government, including how coalition agreements are negotiated and the selection of ministers. It discusses the nature of government decision-making in cabinet and the role of the Taoiseach and examines the position of ministers within their departments, considering ministers’ relationship with the civil service. Finally it considers the ways in which government is held accountable for its actions.
