Understanding Quangos in Ireland: Purpose, Controversy, and Reforms
Quangos (short for quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations) are independent public bodies in Ireland that were established by the state to perform specific functions. They have some of the characteristics of government departments, but are not part of the civil service and are not directly accountable to the elected government. Instead, they are accountable to their own boards or committees, which are appointed by the government.
Quangos were established in the 1970s and 1980s as a way for the government to outsource certain functions to independent bodies that could operate more efficiently and with less political interference. They have been used to manage a wide range of activities, including healthcare, education, transportation, and social welfare.
Some examples of quangos in Ireland include:
* The Health Service Executive (HSE), which is responsible for managing the public health service
* The Irish Educational Training Board (IETB), which provides training and education for teachers
* The Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), which is responsible for managing the country's transportation infrastructure
* The Social Services Appeal Board, which hears appeals from people who are dissatisfied with social welfare decisions.
Quangos have been controversial in Ireland because they are not directly accountable to the elected government and have been criticized for a lack of transparency and accountability. In recent years, there have been several high-profile scandals involving quangos, including the Irish Medicines Board (IMB), which was accused of inadequate regulation of pharmaceuticals, and the Agricultural Food and Marine Service (AFMS), which was criticized for its handling of the horse meat scandal.
In 2013, the Irish government announced plans to review all quangos and consider merging or abolishing those that are not considered essential. The move was seen as an attempt to increase transparency and accountability in the public sector and to reduce the number of independent bodies that are not directly accountable to the elected government.
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