TAOISEACH VS. PRIME MINISTER
1 (a). Irish Taoisigi have much less control over their cabinets than their British counterparts. Discuss with reference to appropriate examples.
- The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister are the most senior ministers of the cabinet in the executive branch of Government. They and their cabinets are accountable for all policies and actions to Parliament/Oireachtas, their political parties and the Irish/British citizens. They have the highest political authority in Ireland and Britain, lead the major political party and command a majority in the House of Commons/Dail. The current British Prime Minister is Conservative party leader, David Cameron, while the current Taoiseach is Fine Gael party leader, Enda Kenny.
- The Taoiseach and British Prime Minister both have to power to appoint, promote, demote and dismiss ministers to their cabinets, which gives them a great amount of control as they will appoint those individuals who have demonstrated great party loyalty to them (patronage) and for those cabinet members who aren't up to scratch, they can also be dismissed by the Prime Minister/Taoiseach or reshuffled to another position, which is most likely to be at a lower level. For example in in 1991, Taoiseach, Charles Haughey dismissed Reynolds and Flynn for failing to back his leadership and in 1992 Reynolds did the same as he refused to appoint Haughey supporters to his cbainet.
- It has been argued that the Prime Minister and Taoiseach surround themselves with 'yes men and women' (those who simply accept the wishes of the Prime Minister/Taoiseach and rarely get involved in robust discussions at cabinet meetings i.e. Blairs Babes and Cowens Cronies) and this yet again gives them more control