Cullen - next ministry?

fricatus

What department will Cullen likely head up now?

Or will he be dropped because the D4 media don't like him, while Waterford rolls over and goes back to sleep?

Junior

I think he'll get a good portfolio - although I wouldn't think it would be the poisoned chalice that is health..

flamegrill

Junior,

Your sig is in violation of boards.ie signature rules. Please make it comply or the admins may simply remove it altogether.

Paul

Dilbert75

fricatus wrote:

What department will Cullen likely head up now?

Foggy weather, at most I hope. Wouldn't trust him with anything else. Really can't stand the man.

mike65

Anyway back on topic!

Cullen will almost certainly get reshuffled which would be a pity, dispite all the flack he gets not much of it had anything to do with the business of transport. There's a huge programme in train and it might be wiser to leave it with someone who's familair with it.

Mike.

Trotter

I think it will depend on who FF go into coallition with. If its with Mary Harney and the Indos.. He'll hang on to transport.

If not..and Labour arrive.. I suspect the D4 gang will flick us (Cullen and Waterford people) off the cabinet table like an annoying snot.

(Sorry for being graphic but given the coverage by the D4 "national" media, of Waterford, Waterford's issues, and Waterford's cabinet representative, thats what I think they consider us to be.)

Trotter

Dilbert75 wrote:

Foggy weather, at most I hope. Wouldn't trust him with anything else. Really can't stand the man.

Dilbert I dont care if you're the minister once Waterford keeps a spot at cabinet.

jhegarty

The Ministry of Silly Walks

Trotter

This thread is going to attract the usual Cullen beaters who KNOW he's useless cause thats what they heard on the TV or from some other expert on boards.

I'd say this one will keep flamegrill busy if its to stay on topic and BS free.

Dilbert75

Well that won't include me. I've formed my own opinion from watching him and listening to him waffle on about everything and nothing, talking about what he plans to do and little about what he's actually completed. For example, as Ministers for Environment and Transport he has had years to do something about driving standards in this country and has actually achieved sod all. He can't even maintain eye-contact and just gives the vibe of being a weasel who can talk the talk.

Trotter

Dilbert75 wrote:

For example, as Ministers for Environment and Transport he has had years to do something about driving standards in this country

I'll give ya that.

Interesting to see Bertie advocating Electronic Voting last night.. I didnt hear him saying that when Cullen was being slated for it and it wasnt even Cullen's idea!!

jhegarty

Trotter wrote:

I'll give ya that.

Interesting to see Bertie advocating Electronic Voting last night.. I didnt hear him saying that when Cullen was being slated for it and it wasnt even Cullen's idea!!

To be fair he may be an idiot, but no where near as bad as the press make out... he really has become Bertie's whipping boy....

Of course short of burning down the bridge and WRH he was going to keep his seat....

Trotter

jhegarty wrote:

To be fair he may be an idiot, but no where near as bad as the press make out... he really has become Bertie's whipping boy....

Thats because he stepped on the toes of Bertie's friends when he moved in from the PDs. He's still an outsider in FF according to many within the party.

Aquos76

I spoke with Martin Cullen this afternoon and we actually spoke about his position within the cabinet, he is very confident of holding onto a ministers position in the next dail. His preference would be to stay in transport.

He also acknowleged the wonderfull support that he has got from all Waterford people.

mike65

Mrs Cullen?

Mike.

Aquos76

mike65 wrote:

Mrs Cullen?

Mike.

smart arse as usual mike

fricatus

Aquos76 wrote:

I spoke with Martin Cullen this afternoon and we actually spoke about his position within the cabinet, he is very confident of holding onto a ministers position in the next dail. His preference would be to stay in transport.

In fairness, he topped the poll here in style, and I think it would be an awful insult to Waterford and the SE generally if he were not to get a cabinet portfolio this time around.

I certainly expect to see him as a minister again, and that can only be good for Waterford.

Education? Wouldn't it be great Enterprise, Trade and Employment, ditto.

Probably will be Transport though. Just my personal opinion, not based on any facts or hearsay whatsoever.

randylonghorn

jhegarty wrote:

To be fair he may be an idiot, but no where near as bad as the press make out... he really has become Bertie's whipping boy...

I'd actually agree with that, and I'm far from his biggest fan. I'm not sure he will get Transport back, though, after the two-step himself and Dick Roche danced over the Tara motorway, and I'd faint with shock if he got Education, especially at the moment.

I could see him getting shifted to Defence or something like that, but I would be surprised if he didn't at least get a seat at cabinet.

Sully

Waterford would do well if he got Education :P

teckno

Minister for Sport would be heaven for somebody like myself who is involved in sports clubs. The investment into suck projects as RSC and Carriganore for GAA would be fantastic

Trotter

If he's not in transport, the motorway wont have much weight behind it.. and the contracts for the major sections arent signed yet.

mike65

Deasy actually topped the poll, thanks to Coffeys transfers (buts thats neither here nor there).

Mike.

Trotter

mike65 wrote:

Deasy actually topped the poll, thanks to Coffeys transfers (buts thats neither here nor there).

Mike.

Thats usually counted on first preferences though Mike. If you were to include all the people who voted Cullen as 2nd preference in his numbers as you are with Deasy, he'd have pushed 14000 at a guess.

Deasy did well, no doubt about it, but he didnt top the poll.

Freddie59

Dilbert75 wrote:

For example, as Ministers for Environment and Transport he has had years to do something about driving standards in this country and has actually achieved sod all.

When you say 'driving standards' do you mean the standards of the roads or the standards of the fools who continually flout the speeding lawas while talking on mobiles?

thund3rbird_

Freddie59 wrote:

When you say 'driving standards' do you mean the standards of the roads or the standards of the fools who continually flout the speeding lawas while talking on mobiles?

giving that I'm usually overtaken by at least 10 - 15 vehicles any time I've driven either direction (always within the 60kph limit) between the Ardkeen side of the ORR & the Cork Rd side, I'd be inclined to agree with the "fools" part of your comment.

personally I think a higher limit would be more appropriate but the law's the law

strange that I've NEVER seen any gardai on the ORR operating speed cameras

Dac51

thund3rbird_ wrote:

giving that I'm usually overtaken by at least 10 - 15 vehicles any time I've driven either direction (always within the 60kph limit) between the Ardkeen side of the ORR & the Cork Rd side, I'd be inclined to agree with the "fools" part of your comment.

personally I think a higher limit would be more appropriate but the law's the law

strange that I've NEVER seen any gardai on the ORR operating speed cameras

I often see them on the Butlerstown roundabout (looking down the hill) or on the Six Cross Roads roundabout (looking up the hill). Usually during morning/evening rush hour.

mike65

Easy to hit 50 mph without trying heading downhill along there.

Mike.

Dilbert75

Freddie59 wrote:

When you say 'driving standards' do you mean the standards of the roads or the standards of the fools who continually flout the speeding lawas while talking on mobiles?

The standards of both the roads and the driving which is allowed to persist.

randylonghorn

Sully wrote:

Waterford would do well if he got Education :P

Yes, I know ... so does everyone else ... which is precisely why I said I would be very shocked if they gave it to him.

looksee

I know this won't be a popular idea, but I find the idea of any particular area 'having a minister' very undemocratic. Ministers should be running the country as a whole, not fighting for their own little corner. If an area needs a minister to survive, surely we should have a system where every area has a Minister for Something. Maybe if a TD is made a minister he should become regionally neutral and the next in line automatically voted in as TD for that area? Undoubtedly there are all sorts of reasons why that would not work (FF being the main one), and I am sure they will be pointed out, as well as the extent of my political naivete .

randylonghorn

looksee wrote:

I know this won't be a popular idea, but I find the idea of any particular area 'having a minister' very undemocratic. Ministers should be running the country as a whole, not fighting for their own little corner.

I wouldn't disagree, but ...

looksee wrote:

Maybe if a TD is made a minister he should become regionally neutral and the next in line automatically voted in as TD for that area?

Thus seriously decreasing the original TD's chances of being elected next time, so suddenly nobody wants to be a minister. Only way it might work would be if ministers were automatically returned to the next Dail, as the Ceann Comhairle is under the present arrangement. Then what happens to accountability? ... the minister is appointed again, returned again, appointed again ... that way lies oligarchy!!

mad man

Dilbert75 wrote:

Well that won't include me. I've formed my own opinion from watching him and listening to him waffle on about everything and nothing, talking about what he plans to do and little about what he's actually completed. For example, as Ministers for Environment and Transport he has had years to do something about driving standards in this country and has actually achieved sod all. He can't even maintain eye-contact and just gives the vibe of being a weasel who can talk the talk.

Maybe you should stop swallowing everything the media tells you and actually try and see the wood from the trees rather than knocking one of your own.Cullen has bent over backwards for the city and deserves huge credit for it.

A few facts:

Road deaths have been at their lowest for four decades under Cullens watch as minister for the transport.

The budget for road safety for non-national roads increased to its highest ever under Cullens watch as minister for environment.

Policing the roads is the responsibility for the justice ministry.Nothing to do with Cullen.

Therefore it is fair to say that Cullen has done more to bring road deaths to the level of the late sixties when traffic volumes were only a fifth of what they are now and the population two thirds of what it is now.The Tranport projects have progressed much further and faster under Cullen than under the previous three transport ministers but we never hear about this.Good news is no news especially as far as Cullen is concerned.

Cullens "alleged" unpopularity should be taken with a pinch of salt.It is most likely more media claptrap.The Irish Indo had printed a story during the FF ard fheis that the Ard Fheis organisors failed to provide Cullen with a room in the City West hotel during the event and therefore implying a snub by FF to Cullen. The Indo last week printed an apology and retraction stating there was no truth to the story.

If there is unpopularity toward Cullen within FF then it is for one reason and one reason only.Someone is after his job.Us knocking the man is only doing the work of our opponents in the other regions.The best thing that has happened this City politically speaking since the foundation of the state is Cullen.The closest thing before this was Austin Deasy but his son John shows none of the same guile or affinity to Waterford.

randylonghorn

mad man wrote:

If there is unpopularity toward Cullen within FF then it is for one reason and one reason only.Someone is after his job.

Political infighting within parties is hardly anything new. They're always after one another's jobs on principle. Add to that a "blow-in" from the PDs and it would be amazing if there wasn't a certain amount of negative vibes heading his way.

As I said, I wouldn't be the guy's biggest fan, but I would take a lot of the flak for what it is.

jackofalltrades

What department will Cullen likely head up now?

Minister for Space hopefully, although I could see him making a mess of that.

Road deaths have been at their lowest for four decades under Cullens watch as minister for the transport.

I doubt that he had much to do with it.

Bards

jackofalltrades wrote:

Minister for Space hopefully, although I could see him making a mess of that.

I doubt that he had much to do with it.

This is the sort of useless comment we come to expect from Dublin commentators. Blame everything on Cullen on his watch but give no credit for good things that happen during the same watch. Double standards and hypocrisy come to mind

mad man

Bards wrote:

This is the sort of useless comment we come to expect from Dublin commentators. Blame everything on Cullen on his watch but give no credit for good things that happen during the same watch. Double standards and hypocrisy come to mind

Exactly Bards.If Cullen was from Cork or Dublin he would get the Kudos whether he deserved it or not.What Muppetts like this don't seem to realise is that E-Voting ,PPARS and the Health Servic mess were cause by Micheal Martin and Noel Depsey and both these ministers had over 10 years ministerial experience.Cullen was practically one day on the job when he got landed with E-voting.

Dilbert75

mad man wrote:

Maybe you should stop swallowing everything the media tells you and actually try and see the wood from the trees rather than knocking one of your own.

Don't really pay much heed to what the papers say, as a matter of fact.

Cullen has bent over backwards for the city and deserves huge credit for it.

Perhaps he has bent over backwards for the city but I don't live there, so its been of no benefit to me personally. As I see it, a minister should be more focussed on the whole country than just his constituency. And, as it happens, ministers "bending over backwards" for their own is often what leads to large industry locating there. Which leads to the incredible traffic problems which have bedevilled Waterford (and many other towns) for years. If large industry had been spread around a bit - there are plenty of towns and areas around Waterford which could host large employers while still benefitting Waterford people - life would be much more pleasant for the inhabitants of the place.

A few facts:

Road deaths have been at their lowest for four decades under Cullens watch as minister for the transport.

The budget for road safety for non-national roads increased to its highest ever under Cullens watch as minister for environment.

Policing the roads is the responsibility for the justice ministry.Nothing to do with Cullen.

Therefore it is fair to say that Cullen has done more to bring road deaths to the level of the late sixties when traffic volumes were only a fifth of what they are now and the population two thirds of what it is now.The Tranport projects have progressed much further and faster under Cullen than under the previous three transport ministers but we never hear about this.Good news is no news especially as far as Cullen is concerned.

How about this? Since he started, he's been rattling on about Driver Training. What's he done? Nothing. Driver instructor registers? Nothing (though the RSA seem to be making moves towards an approval scheme for instructors). Just two examples of this empty vessel making lots of noise.

And whatever anyone says, I can't see his face or hear his voice without first thinking that he's spouting sh1te. He must be the least sincere person in Irish public life. Don't trust him, never will trust him. Hope he doesn't get a ministry - nothing against Waterford, you understand.

Aquos76

Perhaps he has bent over backwards for the city but I don't live there, so its been of no benefit to me personally. As I see it, a minister should be more focussed on the whole country than just his constituency.

He is not alone here, Cork have done very well on the jobs front over the last few years. I wonder where Micheál Martin is from:rolleyes:

Which leads to the incredible traffic problems which have bedevilled Waterford (and many other towns) for years. If large industry had been spread around a bit - there are plenty of towns and areas around Waterford which could host large employers while still benefitting Waterford people - life would be much more pleasant for the inhabitants of the place.

Waterford, have not gained any signifitiant jobs in any area since Martin Cullen became minister for transport. I cant see how you argument this one. If anything, we have lost jobs.

And whatever anyone says, I can't see his face or hear his voice without first thinking that he's spouting sh1te. He must be the least sincere person in Irish public life. Don't trust him, never will trust him. Hope he doesn't get a ministry - nothing against Waterford, you understand.

Well, if you were from Waterford, your opinion would be different. I think he will get another position and I also think it will be deserved.

Bards

Dilbert75 wrote:

. And, as it happens, ministers "bending over backwards" for their own is often what leads to large industry locating there. Which leads to the incredible traffic problems which have bedevilled Waterford (and many other towns) for years. If large industry had been spread around a bit - there are plenty of towns and areas around Waterford which could host large employers while still benefitting Waterford people - life would be much more pleasant for the inhabitants of the place..

I see you are one of those who subscribes to the "build industry in every town in Ireland " while creating no critical mass to attract other services such as University, Improved medical services etc.

Waterford has almost 50,000 people livining in the City, are you proposing that most of these drive to other centres for work thus creating far more traffic problems than having Waterford as the centre of employment in the region?

Who set up the RSA... ermm Cullen

He is one of a few ministers actually doing something rather than issuing reports and getting expert review groups to write yet another report before a minister will act aka Michael Martin & Co.

I would much rather a minister doing things and getting shot down in the media for trying than a minister doing nothing except waiting to be moved to another department.

merlante

It would be great if ministers legislated for the country and were not expected to artificially pump investment into their own constituencies as they currently are.

BUT, that's not the way it is, that's not the way it was, and that is not the way the system is set up, and it will continue not to be this way until coherent government strategies exist for the allocation of investment (i.e. a spatial strategy, decentralisation plan, health infrastructure provision, etc.) that are sensible, fair and which are actually followed up on and not changed by incoming ministers on a whim. At the moment, however, there are no votes in 'making things fair' and the government never wants to do or say anything that might be binding.

Prior to 2002, Waterford had been starved of any kind of investment whatsoever for generations. The city was stagnating in the midst of a boom. Waterford people did not vote strategically as other constituencies did. The changes that have occurred over the last 5 years have shown how important a minister has been to Waterford. Waterford is now well on its way to being able to compete on a level playing field with its peer cities, such as Limerick and Galway.

I detest this sort of corruption, but outside of Dublin and Cork and a few other select places, there is not enough Dail, and hence ministerial, representation to stabilise inward investment in those areas. The rest of the country have to endure feasts and famines of investment and spend more time looking for the next minister than thinking about the grand moral issues of the day.

Roanmore

Merlante, I always like your posts but as an outsider can you please explain your following statement (not arguing against it but can't see exactly what you are saying).

merlante wrote:

Prior to 2002, Waterford had been starved of any kind of investment whatsoever for generations. The city was stagnating in the midst of a boom. Waterford people did not vote strategically as other constituencies did. The changes that have occurred over the last 5 years have shown how important a minister has been to Waterford. Waterford is now well on its way to being able to compete on a level playing field with its peer cities, such as Limerick and Galway.

The question I have is about voting stragetically, are you saying that prior to 2002 Waterford did not vote strategically. The reason I ask is that looking at election results going back to 1989 when it is generally believed the Celtic Tiger began Waterford returned 2 Fianna Fail TD's and there was an FF / PD government, this would suggest strategic voting. In the next election in 1992 Waterford returned one FF, one FG, one Lab and one PD. They probably covered all bases but by the time that government(s) went to the polls all TD's had represented the government.
Ever since Waterford has returned 2 FF TD's and FF have been in government, surely that is voting strategically.

Dilbert75

So ok then - list what Cullen's actually done? He turns up at a lot of openings of roads (which were underway long before he got near them) but what else?

I see you are one of those who subscribes to the "build industry in every town in Ireland " while creating no critical mass to attract other services such as University, Improved medical services etc.

Until you have the infrastructure to support the location of thousands of jobs in a small area, like the Cork Road Ind Est, its better to spread the jobs around. You only end up with thousands of people cramming in and out several times a day, many of them from outside the town. So the roads to and from get choked.

So what's the problem with spreading them out? There's no critical mass for University, improved medical services, etc? There is no University. What about the public outcry that resulted from the decision not to offer cancer services in the South East? What difference did the critical mass of jobs make? What difference did Martin Cullen make?

Trotter

Dilbert75 wrote:

So ok then - list what Cullen's actually done? He turns up at a lot of openings of roads (which were underway long before he got near them) but what else?

Good.. so you agree that because the e-voting was well along before he arrived in Environment, he had nothing to do with that either so?

Bards

Dilbert75 wrote:

So ok then - list what Cullen's actually done? He turns up at a lot of openings of roads (which were underway long before he got near them) but what else?


Until you have the infrastructure to support the location of thousands of jobs in a small area, like the Cork Road Ind Est, its better to spread the jobs around. You only end up with thousands of people cramming in and out several times a day, many of them from outside the town. So the roads to and from get choked.

So what's the problem with spreading them out? There's no critical mass for University, improved medical services, etc? There is no University. What about the public outcry that resulted from the decision not to offer cancer services in the South East? What difference did the critical mass of jobs make? What difference did Martin Cullen make?

Environment.
==========
Race against waste... Huge success, got Ireland recycling at last, now one or the best in Europe

Main Drainage Schemes around the country

Provided funds for the Outer Ring Road

Provided funds for the Tramore RIng Road

increased the amount of funding for Waterford City & County for improved non national roads.



Transport
========
Made sure the M9 was put back on the agenda after the PD'S had tried to stop it and reprioritised the Knocktoper to Wateford section so that it started this year as opposed to next year.

formed the RSA.. road deaths are at their lowest in years

Privatised Aer Lingus. Many commentators said it couldn't be done and it was a poisioned chalace.

Waterford Airport and road has got funding

these are just of the top of my head If I did more research I could find a lot more that he has done both nationally and locally


again if the jobs are spread around, what makes you think that specialised people are spread around too to work in thos offices/factories.


The majority of skilled people will reside in the largest urban centre, so it makes sense to centralise these jobs where the largest population lives to avoid unneccessary commutes.

merlante

Roanmore wrote:

Merlante, I always like your posts but as an outsider can you please explain your following statement (not arguing against it but can't see exactly what you are saying).

The question I have is about voting stragetically, are you saying that prior to 2002 Waterford did not vote strategically. The reason I ask is that looking at election results going back to 1989 when it is generally believed the Celtic Tiger began Waterford returned 2 Fianna Fail TD's and there was an FF / PD government, this would suggest strategic voting. In the next election in 1992 Waterford returned one FF, one FG, one Lab and one PD. They probably covered all bases but by the time that government(s) went to the polls all TD's had represented the government.
Ever since Waterford has returned 2 FF TD's and FF have been in government, surely that is voting strategically.

Fair points. I suppose I mean particularly pre-87 when we elected a PD, and I suppose I also mean that although we might have voted strategically partywise, although more likely it was mostly incidental civil war voting, on the grass roots level we kept bad politicians going for too long. Look at Kenneally, he is rubbish, he was always rubbish and we only voted him in this time because Wilkinson is worse. It's a terrible indictment that we have to choose between 2 such poor candidates, and that a) we can't break from civil war voting and b) that within that, we can't introduce sufficient new blood and competition into the ranks of FF (in any case).

Roanmore

merlante wrote:

It's a terrible indictment that we have to choose between 2 such poor candidates, b) that within that, we can't introduce sufficient new blood and competition into the ranks of FF (in any case).

That's the crux of the matter, will we be here again in 5 years time asking the same question. I can name a councillor from every party and a number of independents except FF, have they anybody coming through. I Cullen had stayed a PD they'd be in even worse shape.

Dilbert75

Bards wrote:

Environment.
==========
Race against waste... Huge success, got Ireland recycling at last, now one or the best in Europe

Main Drainage Schemes around the country

Provided funds for the Outer Ring Road

Provided funds for the Tramore RIng Road

increased the amount of funding for Waterford City & County for improved non national roads.



Transport
========
Made sure the M9 was put back on the agenda after the PD'S had tried to stop it and reprioritised the Knocktoper to Wateford section so that it started this year as opposed to next year.

formed the RSA.. road deaths are at their lowest in years

Privatised Aer Lingus. Many commentators said it couldn't be done and it was a poisioned chalace.

Waterford Airport and road has got funding

these are just of the top of my head If I did more research I could find a lot more that he has done both nationally and locally


again if the jobs are spread around, what makes you think that specialised people are spread around too to work in thos offices/factories.


The majority of skilled people will reside in the largest urban centre, so it makes sense to centralise these jobs where the largest population lives to avoid unneccessary commutes.

Ireland were years behind the rest of the EU in adopting recycling and its a tribute to the Irish that they've taken it up so well. Its certainly not due to Government, either local or national, as evidenced by the persisting dearth of recycling centres open around the country. (And the way in which local government is prosecuting people for leaving their recycling at bring banks which are already full. In other words they fail to put in place the adequate service and then prosecute people for trying to use them).

And see here for Mr Cullen's legacy to the country's motorists. The Government have refused to provide statistics for years - now it appears that the number of people on their 6th or subsequent provisional license has increased from 88 to over 15,000 in 3 years - over 100,000 are on their 3rd or subsequent license. Maith an fear.

Bards

Dilbert75 wrote:

Ireland were years behind the rest of the EU in adopting recycling and its a tribute to the Irish that they've taken it up so well. Its certainly not due to Government, either local or national, as evidenced by the persisting dearth of recycling centres open around the country. (And the way in which local government is prosecuting people for leaving their recycling at bring banks which are already full. In other words they fail to put in place the adequate service and then prosecute people for trying to use them).

And see here for Mr Cullen's legacy to the country's motorists. The Government have refused to provide statistics for years - now it appears that the number of people on their 6th or subsequent provisional license has increased from 88 to over 15,000 in 3 years - over 100,000 are on their 3rd or subsequent license. Maith an fear.

I seem to remember when CUllen wanted more testers that a certain union blocked the outsourcing of those tests unless some of the under utilised staff from the Dept. of Agriculture were trained as testers.

these people are now trained and some tests have been given to private testers ala NCT (almost three years later thanks to the union in question).

can you imagine the state of the driver testing if Cullen did not instigate these changes in work practices, and instead got a "Review Group" to issue a report on the feasibility of outsourcing like some other ministers would have done if in the same position.

Cullen is now out of Environment for nearly three years. when in there he made sure Bring Centres were being rolled out nationwide. Waterford CIty Council was one of the first CIty COuncils to issue a three bin system (this would not have happened with government action) The present incumbant is the person now responsible for bring centres being run down.