New Cabinet Announced

Is Brian Lenihan up to the challenge of projected 2 billion reduction in tax revenue? Cullen still has a job :rolleyes: Martin gets a chance to increase his profile as hard to mess up Foreign Affairs.

RTE

Changes
Mary Coughlan - Tánaiste + Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
Brian Lenihan - Finance,
Batt O'Keefe - Education
Mary Hanafin's - Social and Family Affairs.
Dermot Ahern - Justice
Mícheál Martin - Foreign Affairs
Martin Cullen - Arts Sport and Tourism
Brendan Smith - Agriculture and Food.

No Changes
Mary Harney - Health
Willie O'Dea - Defence
John Gormley - Environment
Eamon Ryan - Communications Energy and Natural Resources
Noel Dempsey - Transport
Eamon Ó Cuív - Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Pat Carey becomes Chief Whip, a move which sees Tom Kitt return to the back benches.

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Originally Posted by pete

Is Brian Lenihan up to the challenge of projected 2 billion reduction in tax revenue? Cullen still has a job :rolleyes: Martin gets a chance to increase his profile as hard to mess up Foreign Affairs.

RTE

Changes
Mary Coughlan - Tánaiste + Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
Brian Lenihan - Finance,
Batt O'Keefe - Education
Mary Hanafin's - Social and Family Affairs.
Dermot Ahern - Justice
Mícheál Martin - Foreign Affairs
Martin Cullen - Arts Sport and Tourism
Brendan Smith - Agriculture and Food.

No Changes
Mary Harney - Health
Willie O'Dea - Defence
John Gormley - Environment
Eamon Ryan - Communications Energy and Natural Resources
Noel Dempsey - Transport
Eamon Ó Cuív - Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Pat Carey becomes Chief Whip, a move which sees Tom Kitt return to the back benches.

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Well, the top 2 is the ball game - Coughlan and Lenihan. She comes very well recommended and played the boyish, farmers wife thing in Ag - let's see whether she can play with the big dogs in E+E.

Proves that Harneys Health Agenda is the FF Health Agenda. Centre Left me arse.

No balls to get rid of Cullen or O'Cuiv - no move to ability ahead of geography by Cowen either. Moving people around without changing personel isn't making decisions, it's just moving faded deckchairs.

Cullen, who was widely tipped to be out on his ear seems to have gotten a promotion of sorts. I'm sure if he lashes the lotto money around Waterford all will be forgiven/forgotten.

Does Ó Cuív have the monopoly on the Gaeltacht post? Interesting that Cowen specifically mentioned the Irish language in his speech. Just another sound-bite or are plans afoot?

How does Harney still have her position? And what has Hanafin done in education to deserve a shot at social and family affairs?

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Originally Posted by jebus

How does Harney still have her position? And what has Hanafin done in education to deserve a shot at social and family affairs?

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Because FF are in favour of privatising the health service. There is no other plausible explaination.

Glad to see the back of Hanafin in Education but I'm really annoyed with Lenihan moving to Finance. Harney should be gone. Can't complain much else about the rest, well, except that they're all FF.

Harneys inclusion makes it more difficult for FF to use the PDs as a scapegoat not that it will stop them trying.

The only real Ministry of consequence is Finance as it affects all areas of the country. I remain unconvinced that Lenihan is tough enough for that role but will be interesting to see his slant.

Enterprise, Trade and Employment is a handy job for Hanafin as get to announce new jobs (if there are any) & hard to mess it up as no one really blames that Minister for job losses.

Does any one know who the candidates that lost out are?

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Originally Posted by pete

Enterprise, Trade and Employment is a handy job for Hanafin as get to announce new jobs (if there are any) & hard to mess it up as no one really blames that Minister for job losses.

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Coughlan got DETE, Hanafin got demoted to Social & Family Affairs.

Somewhat sad indictment of the way things are done (and are not) in this little country that there is a very real expectation back in the constituencys of the top two that things will be markedly different for those areas now. Whether in relation to keeping jobs, keeping cancer treatment services...

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Originally Posted by Macy

Coughlan got DETE, Hanafin got demoted to Social & Family Affairs.

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Same diffference. Both women. :p

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Originally Posted by pete

Both women. :p

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I'd have my doubts over Coughlan!

We here thought for a while that she was getting a high profile. Image changed, more prominent in photos and meetings. I've a respect for her, the farmers tried to bully her but she stood up to them. She seems like a decent sort. Good for her, better than Hanafin.

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Originally Posted by noby

Interesting that Cowen specifically mentioned the Irish language in his speech. Just another sound-bite or are plans afoot?

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Yeah must say I delighted, and got excited, at that. He has a reasonable command of Irish in fairness (not a patch on Enda's mellifluous tones, mind you).

I wouldn't imagine it was a sound-bite given Irish journalists' general ambivalence towards it; most probably didn't even understand what he said! He couldn't possibly be any less active than Bertie anyway, one hopefully assumes.


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Anyone know what kind of law Brian Lenihan specialised in? Seems a bit strange to take a barrister out of Justice and put him into Finance - meritocracy/division of labour and all that stuff like. :)

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Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

Yeah must say I delighted, and got excited, at that

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With that level of English I'm not surprised :D

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Originally Posted by jebus

With that level of English I'm not surprised :D

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What level of English?

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Originally Posted by osarusan

What level of English?

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substandard yokel level, c'mon 'I delighted', cut me some slack here! :)

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Originally Posted by superfrank

Can't complain much else about the rest, well, except that they're all FF.

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A cabinet with so many changes inside 12 months, shows the government's performance so far. 2 changes were necessary, but the rest couldn't even wait until next year's reshuffle. :rolleyes:

But we were told to vote for them last year, so we get the government we deserve.

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Originally Posted by jebus

cut me some slack here! :)

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The only thing we'll be cutting is the rope you're hanging yourself with. :p

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Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

I'd have my doubts over Coughlan!

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Have a look at the latest Italian Cabinet :cool:

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Originally Posted by Macy

Proves that Harneys Health Agenda is the FF Health Agenda. Centre Left me arse.

No balls to get rid of Cullen or O'Cuiv - no move to ability ahead of geography by Cowen either. Moving people around without changing personel isn't making decisions, it's just moving faded deckchairs.

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Why would he get rid of Ó Cuiv? He's been very successful in his role and there is a general level of satisfaction with how he's done, with the odd issue such as Dingle coming up.

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Originally Posted by SÓC

Why would he get rid of Ó Cuiv? He's been very successful in his role and there is a general level of satisfaction with how he's done, with the odd issue such as Dingle coming up.

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...because it has nothing to do with ability, quality, achievements, intellect, popularity.

It is about 1 thing - making Cowens's position safer and stronger. The end.

20 Junior Ministers appointed yesterday (5 newbies). Includes I believe 5 Junior Minsters in Health which is probably symptomatic of the bureaucracy in that area.

:rolleyes:

Fell asleep last night, watching him announce the naming of his junior minister in monotone. Has no hope of being re-elected as Taoiseach next time.

Wouldn't bet on that. (And that's from someone who's never, ever voted Fianna Fail.)

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Originally Posted by mypost

Fell asleep last night, watching him announce the naming of his junior minister in monotone. Has no hope of being re-elected as Taoiseach next time.

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To put it bluntly Dubs won't vote for a bogger. 1/3 of seats in Dublin. Big change from having Bertie Dub as leader.

Cowan may be intelligent but his CV does not glow with achievements. I find he comes across aggressive when challenged which can be very of putting.

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Originally Posted by pete

To put it bluntly Dubs won't vote for a bogger. 1/3 of seats in Dublin. Big change from having Bertie Dub as leader.

Cowan may be intelligent but his CV does not glow with achievements. I find he comes across aggressive when challenged which can be very of putting.

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Yes that is very very noticeable. The women won't stand for that. I wonder though will him being a countryman stand to the party in the country constituencies?
As for John Moloney that he promoted, it was very much a case of promoting the local man. This guy barely got elected ahead of a 1st time contestant. I can't abide him tbh.

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Originally Posted by Kingdom

Yes that is very very noticeable. The women won't stand for that. I wonder though will him being a countryman stand to the party in the country constituencies?

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While the remainder of the country is probably 2/3 of the votes Dublins sphere of influence (like the old soviets) stretches beyond its own borders. I think it might be fairer to suggest we have a 2:1 urban:country divide.

Offaly people seemed to think they had their own Taoiseach elected last week such was the way they celebrated.

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Originally Posted by pete

While the remainder of the country is probably 2/3 of the votes Dublins sphere of influence (like the old soviets) stretches beyond its own borders. I think it might be fairer to suggest we have a 2:1 urban:country divide.

Offaly people seemed to think they had their own Taoiseach elected last week such was the way they celebrated.

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I've no problem with the first bit and there certainly is a buzz around the area so I agree with the 2nd bit. I'd imagine the Tullamore ring road will get fast tracked now which can only be a good thing. If there was an improvement in rail services that wouldn't be a bad thing either.