Navigating the Borderlines of Politics and Administration: Reflections on the Role of Ministerial Advisers

Ministerial advisers are actors serving democratically appointed ministers, and they occupy a position in the borderlines of politics and administration. Throughout history, rulers have relied on advisers for counsel and support, and there is increasing interest in interpreting this role in its contemporary context. This article reflects on the existing empirical work on the Irish case which offered a classification of adviser types and seeks to outline links with the wider literature on politico-administrative relations and core executive studies to illustrate ministerial advisers’ activities.