The economic improvement is often exaggerated; after the slump in the fifties, any recovery would be welcome. Significant improvements were made, but there were also failures. The continuation of high emigration figures show that these years were not absolute prosperity.
Lemass changed economic policy, which until now had had dismal failures. Lemass was a realist and saw that it was no longer possible to blame Britain for Ireland's situation. The shift in policy enabled Ireland to benefit from a world-wide boom. The Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement of 1965 improved the export market. The largest transformation was in the civil service sector. This was achieved through a policy of 'planning and co-operation' and the National Industrial and Economic Council. Lemass restored morale in a nation that had seen a string of disappointments and failures.
However, the Lemass years saw an influx of foreign investment. 360 foreign manufacturers were established themselves in Ireland between 1960 and 1969. This removes much of the glory from Lemass. The delay in entering the EEC limited the country's export potential. At times the state seemed close to bankruptcy. Economic planning was based on a series of Programmes for Economic Expansion devised by TK Whitaker. Only one out of three of these achieved its aims. Little was done to assist agriculture and many accused Lemass of being too much 'an urban person'.
There was a tremendous improvement in the standard of living. Most of this is attributable to the Lemass government. Other elements were simply a result of a global change.
The education system was revamped. In 1966 the Minister for Education introduced free secondary education. He also built new schools and introduced school buses. The success of this development is reflected in the 18,000 new students in 1967 (and 10,000 more for the each of the next four years). Though Lemass endorsed the scheme, it was very much O'Malley's work.
There were many aspects of modernisation introduced. For example, RTÉ was established in 1962. By the end of Lemass' term in office, 50 percent of Irish houses owned a television. Most programmes were British or American. This offered Irish people, particularly in rural areas, an alternative set of standards and values. Still, this was long overdue; Britain had had television since the early 1950s.
Ireland experienced a change in international relations. There were some positive results but, despite Lemass' good intentions, he failed to reach many of his objectives.
Lemass was committed to breaking barriers with Northern Ireland. His meetings with Northern Ireland Prime Minister Terence O'Neill were promising but were fruitless due to Loyalist opposition. Lemass believed in the unification of people rather than territory but never achieved this.
Ireland sent troops on a United Nations mission to the Congo in 1960. The nation had remained neutral until then. Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank Aiken implemented a policy of remaining neutral only on cold war issues. This confused and superficial plan still has repercussions today. Lemass government neither created a neutral policy nor one without constraints. This problem has caused governments to be indecisive, most recently in response to US planes landing at Shannon.
Ireland was transformed from 1959 onward. Seán Lemass has often been given too much credit for this. The developments were largely due to his team of young, intelligent and resourceful individuals. Most of the government's successes were due to plans designed by men such as Whitaker and O'Malley. Also, it could be suggested that change was inevitable - that Lemass was merely in the right place at the right time. Despite this, Lemass' enthusiasm and determination piloted this change and his contribution to Irish history is important.
