Media discourses on the economy in Ireland: Framing the policy possibilities

Chapter Seventeen argues that a discursive approach can add much to our understanding of what has happened in policy analysis in Ireland. The concept of hyper-specialization is introduced as an important feature of the context in which policy discourse takes place, and shows the complexities discourses face as they travel across societies. Policy relevant discourses of media, and actors within the media, are examined, along with what recent developments mean for Irish public policy discourse. An important factor is how such policy discourses are internationalised in Ireland and the impact of that complication on participation in policy debates is examined. Further complexities include the effects of technocratization and economization on how we discuss policy. The chapter concludes that the discursive power of economists remains an important feature of our policy discourses.