Institute of Public Administration (IPA)Litton, Frank2015-07-142015-07-141988Institute of Public Administration, Litton, Frank (ed). 1988. The Constitution of Ireland 1937-1987. Dublin: Institute of Public Administration (IPA)0906980828http://hdl.handle.net/10147/560394A Constitution defines the political institutions of a state and sets boundaries to its authority. In this it shapes the form of living together of a people. The fact that people give themselves a Constitution supposes that this momentous matter is a subject of choice. The character of our social life is not imposed by nature, but is created by us. Allow this and questions about what is a good life, a just society, a healthy community emerge. The answering of these questions is inseparable from constitution making. Of course, these are not the only matters to be attended to: the claim to sovereignty implied in a Constitution has to be made good in a world of other states who may contest it. Inequalities among the people themselves crea te conllicting interests that must be accommodated. Constitution making requires that the cunning or a Machiavellian prince bejoined to the wisdom of a philosopher king.enPOLICY FORMULATIONSOCIAL CARECOMMUNITY CAREHEALTH LEGISLATIONReport