Spokes or strokes? Clientelism and cycling funding in Ireland. Issue 4 (1st October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Manton, Richard
• Is Part Of: Irish political studies. Volume 31:Issue 4(2016)
• Page Start: 443
• Page End: 460
• Publication Date: 2016-10-01
• Subjects: Clientelism -- pork-barrel -- stroke politics -- cycling funding -- transport policy; Ireland -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 320.9415
• DOI: 10.1080/07907184.2016.1141766
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0790-7184

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Clientelism, pork-barrel politics and 'pulling a stroke' are important topics in Irish political science, and growing evidence demonstrates that Irish government ministers deliver disproportionate capital investments for their constituencies in grant allocations. Smarter Travel, a new policy area in the sustainability agenda, began providing capital funding for cycling projects in 2012 and offers a study of clientelism in a new field. This article shows that in 2012 and 2014, the Minister with responsibility for commuter and public transport overruled civil servant recommendations to fund four cycling-based projects in his own constituency and in another constituency immediately prior to a Dáil by-election. The allocation of €27 million in National Cycle Network and Active Travel Towns funding is examined using Freedom of Information requests and the role of the Minister is highlighted. This study of pork in a new field reveals some of the dynamics between the civil service and a government minister and suggests a process of manipulating funding schemes to deliver largesse. Clientelism and the consequent distortion of funding objectives are shown to be in conflict with the effective implementation of cycling policies.