Mary Daly examines the severe crisis in Ireland in this chapter. The crisis was preceded by an extended period of rapid economic growth, yet the national financial situation had been deteriorating prior to the recession. When it hit, a strong austerity approach was adopted, dictated principally by the terms of the financial bailout Ireland secured in 2010. In return for this funding, Ireland undertook a very detailed programme of reforms in which social policy and changed taxation were prioritized. These reforms featured large reductions in social expenditure and significant cuts to all benefits (except old-age pensions) and services, increasing poverty and hardship. Housing-related indebtedness increased quite widely as well. Reforms also institutionalized a much stronger activation approach. Apart from this, there was little or no major restructuring of the Irish welfare state, hence this proved quite resilient in a period that saw the overshadowing if not demise of social partnership.