In The House Always Wins John McGuinness gives an insider’s account of dysfunction and waste in the Irish political and administrative system. He speaks with authority both as a TD and—crucially—as a former Government Minister. No one in such a privileged insider’s position has ever produced a political narrative as explosive as this.

Well known for his no-nonsense approach to politics, McGuinness places the need for good governance and accountability at the centre of the book. He wants both the Dáil to take control, and the catalogue of bad practices and scandalous waste of human and material resources to be swept away. McGuinness brings his extensive knowledge of the system to bear as he describes how limited and circumscribed are the powers of the Minister, and how difficult it now is for politicians at any level to make a difference.

The system, he argues, is rigged against initiative and reform, thus the title of the book. The House Always Wins is not an assault on the public service. It is a demand that they, and the trade unions, confront the challenges of creating a better Ireland.