This submission concerns itself with the social and political measures and conditions that are essential counterparts to the fiscal compact and associated treaties. It examines the economic situation in Europe and the prospects for Eurozone recovery attaching to the ratification of the Fiscal Compact. It shows that the missing link in the new economic architecture is the socio-economic domain: there is no sign of the development of a „social compact‟ to accompany the deepening of integration within the Eurozone, despite the „European model‟ having been built upon the combination of fiscal discipline and strong social and economic investments. We then outline a series of problems with the turn to technocratic administration in the fiscal compact and associated measures. This leads us to examine the „crisis of legitimacy‟ within the sphere of Europe an affairs and EU decision-making in Ireland and argue that the policy system needs to significantly enhance its capabilities to promote genuine deliberation on European issues. The centralisation of power in government needs to be counter-balanced by a greater contribution from the courts to the debate and by giving the Oireachtas significantly enhanced powers to hold the government to account in EU matters.