[Article] Reshuffle shows that success is path to demotion

Mr_Man

In the opinion column in the business section of the Irish Times to-day there is an interesting slant on the recent cabinet changes. The writer, John Mc Manus, believes that Seamus Brennan did a good job at Transport, and that Dermo didn't do such a good job at DMCNR. Some choice quotes:

Broadband was the "big" issue at Ahern's tenure at Communications, and certainly the most important from an economic perspective. Under the programme for governemt he was charged with delivering on the following committments:

We will ensure the putting in place of open access broadband on a national basis.

We will create real commpetition for loca phone services by ensuring the unbundling of the local loop

We will ensure that the full range of options including wireless technologies are utilised to expand broadband access in rural areas.

Progress in these areas has been painfully slow and if the latest figures are anything to go by, there is no chance that Ireland will meet Ahern's self imposed target of reaching the European average for broadband penetration by 2005.

It goes on to make the point that Brennan was more successful at getting his aims achieved, yet because of the fuss from the unions he was demoted, whereas Ahern was promoted, despite having achieved a lot less.

M.

spongebob

I'd view it (along with the front page of todays Indo ) as a concerted effort by the friends of Seamus Brennan to get Seamus sympathy / hugs /maybe a nice job in the court of auditors in Luxembourg once GeoghanQuinn retires in December .

Alternatively it is spin from Bertie to allow the rest of the government to bed in quietly. Cullen was a disaster in his dept compared to Ahern so why pick on Ahern ?

It may even be both .

M

eircomtribunal

Progress in these areas has been painfully slow and if the latest figures are anything to go by, there is no chance that Ireland will meet Ahern's self imposed target of reaching the European average for broadband penetration by 2005.

Naturally I fully agree with John McManus about Dermot's "achievements". I especially disliked the way Dermot was putting out spin at the end of his role.

Concerning Internet, Broadband and competition in telephony (fixed and mobile) we are not catching up with Europe, we are indeed falling further back.

Dermot's glorious introduction of "flat-rate" was a failure. We still have no affordable flat-rate dial-up, all we have are expensive pre-paid hours packages that have not had and could not have had the effect of enticing people to using the Net. Our consequential dismal 37% domestic Internet penetration rate will put an additional spanner into future Broadband take-up.

Dermot's school bb enabling is something, but siliconrepublic's prediction that it might end up with schools getting a motor way, but having to go to it through a muddy field (as there is no concept and funding for the school internal networking), is a concern. I also wonder whether the schools will have the didactic, pedagogic and content issues sorted to really make use of the technology.

P.

jbkenn

eircomtribunal wrote:

Dermot's school bb enabling is something, but siliconrepublic's prediction that it might end up with schools getting a motor way, but having to go to it through a muddy field (as there is no concept and funding for the school internal networking), is a concern.

Not so, certainly in the Primary sector, the Dept. of Education is providing 100% funding for "Grant in aid for Computer Networking in Schools" 50% on approval and the balance on certification of work completion by school authorities.
The Dept. has issued guidelines to all Primary Schools, recommending up to five network points per classroom, to allow for expansion beyond the schools present I.T. inventory, They have given guideline pricing to the schools, to enable them to assess potential quotes, and given them the option to go wired or wireless, or a combination of both.

jbkenn
regrettably it looks like the majority of schools will end up with Satellite broadband. a "Third World solution for a First World country"

sceptre

Mr_Man wrote:

In the opinion column in the business section of the Irish Times to-day there is an interesting slant on the recent cabinet changes. The writer, John Mc Manus, believes that Seamus Brennan did a good job at Transport, and that Dermo didn't do such a good job at DMCNR.

Oddly enough, the other Protestant Times (which obviously, judging from the McRedmond piece has no idea of the state of telecoms) reckons that Brennan wasn't worth a monkey's nuts (boards thread with article).

Leaving aside the failings of both - and I reckon both had many (some of commission, some of omission) - and keeping in mind that we've never discussed roads on the IOFFL board (and with good reason so I suppose we really shouldn't start now), sometimes it's a matter of emphasis of the particular paper. I've a dislike of spin, which Brennan appeared to live off judging by the press releases. Dermot tried to look like he was doing something whereas the other chap tried to make it look like he was going to do something.

In the end, the result for the ordinary Joe driver or telecoms user might well be the same - depending on the more important issue for the reader or writer. I drive, use the Internet and don't currently have any money or patience with roads where the holes are wider than the remaining road so both are rather dear to my heart lately. I have to admit to having more sympathy for Dermot though - I got taken in by Brennan's first few months of government by press release and actually thought he was going to do stuff whereas after Athlone Mary, I didn't expect Ahern to do anything so you could say that despite his failings and failures he performed infinitely better than I expected. Obviously there's a relative good surprise/disappointment built in there as well which brings me full circle to where I started.

eircomtribunal

jbkenn wrote:

The Dept. has issued guidelines to all Primary Schools, recommending up to five network points per classroom, to allow for expansion beyond the schools present I.T. inventory, They have given guideline pricing to the schools, to enable them to assess potential quotes, and given them the option to go wired or wireless, or a combination of both.

Here's the link to the siliconrepublic article "Broadband will give schools more problems than content" by Ian Campbell, which raised some issues about the internal networking side of things. But Campbell's source may well be somebody who'd hoped to get a big national contract or something.

Personally I have seen computers in schools doing nothing but collecting dust and outdate without much use. If there is no curricular integration of IT – is there? – then the Broadband for schools project is bound to underachieve.

P.

jwt

eircomtribunal wrote:

But Campbell's source may well be somebody who'd hoped to get a big national contract or something.

P.

More than likely. I have been approached by several schools all of whom have received the application for funding.

Basically it offers 2000 euros to network existing computers and goes on to list typical prices for networking equipment.

Most schools are availing of it and using other funding to enhance it.

A couple of big players are hoping to blanket the entire primary school network infrastructure but so far prices appear to silly.

John