Social Policy Implications of Emergency Legislation in Northern Ireland

The periodic use of emergency legislation has been a historic characteristic of the Northern Ireland state. In the past twelve years there has been a marked escalation of the use of emergency powers in response to the political crisis and the continuing urban guerrilla war. In this article we explore some of the effects on social policy of the widespread, long-term use of emergency legislation in Northern Ireland. In particular we examine instances of the diffusion of emergency legislation where it becomes a 'normal' instrument of social policy and also the dilemmas generated for social policy professionals in terms of problematic relationships with the state. Finally we suggest that such developments in Northern Ireland provide new evidence to feed theoretical debates in social policy.