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Devolution, Social Policy and Education: Some Observations from Northern Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2005

Caitlin Donnelly
Affiliation:
School of Policy Studies, University of Ulster at Jordanstown E-mail: [email protected]
Robert D. Osborne
Affiliation:
School of Policy Studies, University of Ulster at Jordanstown E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Many commentaries on social policy in the UK assume that policy as developed in England applies to the constituent countries of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, the advent of political devolution in the last five years is slowly being reflected in the literature. This paper takes education policy in Northern Ireland and discusses recent policy developments in the light of the 1998 Belfast Agreement. The Agreement, it is suggested, is providing a framework which promotes equality, human rights and inclusion in policy making. Some early indications of this are discussed and some of the resultant policy dilemmas are assessed. The paper concludes that accounts of policy development in the UK, which ignore the multi-level policy-making contexts created by devolution, do a disservice to the subject.

Type
Articles
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2005

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