Crisis and Corporate Welfare

This chapter examines corporate welfare in the Republic of Ireland. Corporate welfare overlaps welfare policy and industrial strategy. On the one hand, corporate welfare can involve using state resources to support domestic businesses in a way that is analogous to personal social welfare. This can raise questions about the fairness/equity of redistributing resources to business owners. Conversely, the logic of industrial strategy can involve nurturing businesses that are likely to contribute to economic progress and job creation, which in turn can have a positive impact on welfare across society. Detail is presented on the actual supports given to businesses in the Republic of Ireland.