回顧愛爾蘭的經濟發展概況，早期愛爾蘭自然資源缺乏，傳統上以農牧業為主。愛爾蘭於1950年代末開始實行開放政策，鼓勵對外貿易，大力吸引外資，努力發展高科技工業與第三產業。90年代以來，愛爾蘭經濟發展加快，增長速度一直高居歐盟各國之首。 1995年GDP增長9.6％、1996年達8.3％、1997年GDP增11.5％、1998年達8.5％、1999年達10.7％、2000年達9.1％，1995至2002年間連續創歷史最佳水準，愛爾蘭經濟擴張了70％。在全球經濟蕭條的2001年其GDP增長仍高達5.9%，1987年愛爾蘭人均GDP是歐盟平均水平的65%，到2000年已達到了歐盟平均水平的115%，2004年後更僅次於盧森堡，為歐盟第二富國。 從許多國內外文獻中不難發現，導致愛爾蘭經濟快速發展主要歸因於歐盟區域政策及共同農業政策之援助、英語系國家背景與經貿政策、北愛爾蘭問題的解決等。其中值得注意的是，愛爾蘭在近十年脫胎換骨的變化，政府在這段經濟發展中所扮演的角色究竟為何。因此，進一步探討愛爾蘭的經濟與政治以釐清其國家定位，實有其必要性。因此進一步提出了以下研究問題：「在全球化與區域化中，愛爾蘭政府如何為愛爾蘭的經濟帶來快速並穩定的發展？」雖然國內外尚無文獻針對愛爾蘭其政府體制與導致經濟快速發展之因連上正式關係，但吾人推測其特殊政府體制及運作，是否高度適於歐盟政策方向，兩相結合之下成為導致它跳躍式經濟發展的主要因素。因此在探討歐盟和愛爾蘭中央與地方政府之多方互動關係時，本文的研究目的如下所述：（一）了解愛爾蘭經濟發展與政府體制之間的相互因果關係。（二）探討愛爾蘭與歐洲聯盟之間的關係。（三）藉由愛爾蘭之經驗提出政策性建言，以為他國之借鏡與參考。除了用以解釋政府體制是使其經濟快速並穩定發展的主因，更因其政府獨特性令它在全球化與區域化中亦保持快速穩定發展。 Ever since 1990s, Ireland has expedited its economic development with its speed of growth having long been topped over other EU State Members. GDP of this nation had enjoyed an increase of 8.9% growth in 1998, 9.8% in 1999 and 11.5% in 2000. This nation further made history by achieving 100% of its economic expansion from 1993 to 2000, reaching an approximate 5.9% growth in GDP in 2001 when the world suffered an economic downturn. The average GDP for Irish in 1987 was 65% that of EU, but reached 115% that of EU in 2000. A plenty of domestic and overseas literatures will lead us to a clear picture that the support from EU regional policy and agricultural policy, background of English-speaking country and economic and trade policy, and solutions to issues about Northern Ireland have contributed to the rapid economic development in Ireland. One point worthy of our attention is that special governmental systems and harmonious relations between central and local governments have also contributed to this nation’s rebirth in recent one decade It is still short of literatures, domestically and abroad, centering on researches into the relations between Ireland’s governmental systems and its rapid economic development. According to my analysis, I would attribute the successful economic development in Ireland to its special governmental system and operation which are compatible with the direction of EU policy, the major factors leading to its leaping economic development. The research purposes to probe into the interactive relations between EU and Ireland’s central and local governments are given as below:(1) Gaining insights into the inter-relations between Ireland’s economic development and the governmental systems.(2) Exploring the relations between Ireland and EU.(3) Proposing strategic advice for further reference based on Ireland experiences.
