Cullen Again after everything?

dodgyme

I think the title says it all

Wishbone Ash

Bertie's probably under pressure to have a member of the cabinet from the Waterford area.

dodgyme

I know but Cullen again after everything????

bmaxi

Hard to take, even harder, although it was inevitable I suppose is Harney at health but the hardest is a junior Ministry for Beverley Flynn. How's life under that snakes belly Bertie?

dodgyme

Bearly elected Bev to get a Junior ministry?? unreal. Harney I must admit has a really hard job, I think the hardest TBH. Cullen I really cant believe it. FF I didnt vote for and now am thankful for this. And JOD as CC unreal.!

Floppybits

Cant believe Cullen is still there, as a poster already suggested I think Bertie is under pressure to have a minister from Waterford. I think the reason that Harney is still minister for health is because I bet no one in the FF party wants to touch it with a barge pole.


What are peoples opinions on Bertie's new cabinet? Myself I think its going to more of the same really, ministers not taking responsibility, blaming everything and everyone but themselves and knowing the Bertie isn't going to sack them. On the whole I am disappointed with the new cabinet.

BBM77

Happy days, the begrudgers are alive and well.

If ye could think for yourself and not expect what is written in the papers you might understand that he is not much different than any other minister. Even one of the commentators on Prime Time last night had to admit Cullen got unfair treatment from the media. It was clear from the beginning that the press were after a scalp and Cullen was their man. The only reason their was to sack him was the pressure the media were trying to put Bertie under to do so. Thankfully we have a head of government who has the media savvy to see passed this.

And before someone writes it, I am bias and proud of it.:p

dodgyme

Ballybrickenman wrote:

And before someone writes it, I am bias and proud of it.:p

thanks for that so we will just disregard your rant then.

Avns1s

All the carry on of the past week or two, prove that FF just want to be in power and they really don't give a sh1t about principle, equality, change or anything else.

What I find somewhat intrigueing is:

FF lost three seats in the GE, PD's reduced to nearly nothing, Independents (taken as a block ) reduced to 50% of their former status and the Greens just about held their own probably based on the fact that they somewhat presented themselves as an opportunity for chance, Yet these bunch of REJECTS or at best partial rejects, find their way into power. FFS.

I agree that Cullen should have been shown the door. But then so should quite a few of the rest of them.

BBM77

dodgyme wrote:

thanks for that so we will just disregard your rant then.

Somehow, I kind of expected you would. When someone disagrees with you, it’s a rant, I think that says it all!

Akrasia

Cullen's been moved to the department of social welfare
This is a disaster. The next 5 years is going to see a major reworking of the social welfare system to in bring 'Compulsion' whereby single parents will be forced into the workplace once their children reach 8 years old. (According the the NESC's Developmental Welfare State policy document)

Regardless of the theoretical merits or flaws of this scheme as a whole, if it is implemented poorly, it will be a complete disaster, and with Martin Cullen in charge, we're in for a very very rocky time.
He's going to make a complete balls of it, and the consequences will be much more severe than just a bit of wasted money on voting machines

dodgyme

Ballybrickenman wrote:

Somehow, I kind of expected you would. When someone disagrees with you, it’s a rant, I think that says it all!

You were the one who said you were biased and proud of it so mate expect what you get then ok:eek:

dodgyme

Akrasia wrote:

Regardless of the theoretical merits or flaws of this scheme as a whole, if it is implemented poorly, it will be a complete disaster, and with Martin Cullen in charge, we're in for a very very rocky time.
He's going to make a complete balls of it,

It looks like a tricky policy perfect for Cullen to bumble his way through without understanding it. The best was when rte asked him how barrier free tolling would work. All he could say was that they would remove the barriers. Then when pressed on how it would work he kept repeating the the same thing "we will remove the barriers". Poor lad didnt seem to understand the question.:rolleyes:

BBM77

dodgyme wrote:

You were the one who said you were biased and proud of it so mate expect what you get then ok:eek:

Are you going to give solid reasons why Cullen should have been removed over another minister? Any bitter election loser can say, ah he should be removed. As for expecting what I get, I have got nothing you have not made any points to back up your argeument.

BBM77

Akrasia wrote:

a bit of wasted money on voting machines

You are clearly not aware that the e-voting issue was a cabinet matter and not a decision made by a single minister. This was acknowledge on Prime Time and some other sources yesterday. This is more of the “not believing everything you read in the papers” kind of thing.

dodgyme

Ballybrickenman wrote:

Are you going to give solid reasons why Cullen should have been removed over another minister? .

Hah - e-voting both the disaster of the software and the continued cost of storage, Monica leech and the alleged awarding of PR contracts because of his "friendship" with her, the continued support of PPP by MC, the contracting out of road cameras, the M50 still in a mess and the minister not understanding the basic questions of how tolling without barriers might work, the self delusion of a minister who everyone thinks should be sacked and goes on T.V the day before voting an blabbers on in the 3rd person on how MC has delivered when he is voted the most likely person people wanted sacked from the cabinet. Obvious they didnt use the voting machines for that. The rail from pace pushed back by a year. Navan how long, Western corridor bumbling, the M3 routing did him no favours. Irish rails sh*tty service to commutters with no proper parking, access, feeder bus etc and not even enough ticket machines for user, a docklands station for commutters who mainly want to be in the city centre etc etc, luas from one place just to one other place with no connections, complete failure on integrated ticketing, no willingness to push the finance minister to introduce policies to improve transport like tax reform to favour smaller cars and taxing SUV to a greater degree etc etc. He was the transport minister, if things went well he would get the credit no? but he was terrible and all can see it but you.

mike65

dodgyme do you have a particular agenda by any chance? All of the above are failings but I'd be intersted to know who would have got this country's crumbling transport infrastructure running well in the space of 32 months.

Its worth noting the voting machines were the brain-child of Cullens predecesor.

Mike.

dodgyme

mike65 wrote:

dodgyme do you have a particular agenda by any chance?
Its worth noting the voting machines were the brain-child of Cullens predecesor.

Mike.

Ya but the storage of them wasnt and the software being years past its sell by date wasnt. He oversaw the crappy /non/ deployment of them and was responsible for that. As for agenda's I dont have a 'particular' agenda whatever that means?

dodgyme

Also Mike I notice you are from waterford, the heart land of cullen support. perhaps you have the agenda to defend him because he probably looked after the constituency instead of doing his job as minister.

BBM77

dodgyme wrote:

Hah - e-voting both the disaster of the software and the continued cost of storage, Monica leech and the alleged awarding of PR contracts because of his "friendship" with her, the continued support of PPP by MC, the contracting out of road cameras, the M50 still in a mess and the minister not understanding the basic questions of how tolling without barriers might work, the self delusion of a minister who everyone thinks should be sacked and goes on T.V the day before voting an blabbers on in the 3rd person on how MC has delivered when he is voted the most likely person people wanted sacked from the cabinet. Obvious they didnt use the voting machines for that. The rail from pace pushed back by a year. Navan how long, Western corridor bumbling, the M3 routing did him no favours. Irish rails sh*tty service to commutters with no proper parking, access, feeder bus etc and not even enough ticket machines for user, a docklands station for commutters who mainly want to be in the city centre etc etc, luas from one place just to one other place with no connections, complete failure on integrated ticketing, no willingness to push the finance minister to introduce policies to improve transport like tax reform to favour smaller cars and taxing SUV to a greater degree etc etc. He was the transport minister, if things went well he would get the credit no? but he was terrible and all can see it but you.

First of all Monica Leech brought her case to the High Court and won, so if you want to keep using The Star and Ireland On Sunday as sources, I pity you. In relation to Irish Rail, tell me a minister in the last government that has been successful in getting all he/she wanted from the semi-state sector. Any politician could not solve the problems you list (which sounds like an article from the Irish Independent by the way) in the 2 years or so Cullen was the minister of transport. PPP’s are a way to achieve something, you may not agree with them but they are no scandal or reason to be removed from office. And clearly, I am not the only person that thinks Cullen is not the disaster the media try to make him out to be, Bertie for one is another.

Why do I get the feeling you are from a constituency that has no ministers?

BBM77

dodgyme wrote:

Also Mike I notice you are from waterford, the heart land of cullen support. perhaps you have the agenda to defend him because he probably looked after the constituency instead of doing his job as minister.

All ministers do this kind of thing. What makes Cullen any more disserving of sacking?

is_that_so

Most of the problems I see with Cullen are included in that list but I would see his incompetence as top of the list. That is the least we can expect from a minister. No-one expects transport to be fixed in 32 months, but he seems incapable of getting his head around even the simplest brief. And he has enough advisers to help out. On 200k+ a year his performance to date that would be a P45 anywhere else.

We are fully entitled to expect some type of ability from our elected representatives. FF or Bertie are part of this problem. Of the last batch of FF ministers very few stand out as quality , yet he picked almost all of them again. Surely in the 78 he has there must be others with more ability.

I am certainly nervous of the idea of Cullen being let loose in Social Welfare.

BBM77

is_that_so wrote:

Most of the problems I see with Cullen are included in that list but I would see his incompetence as top of the list. That is the least we can expect from a minister. No-one expects transport to be fixed in 32 months, but he seems incapable of getting his head around even the simplest brief. And he has enough advisers to help out. On 200k+ a year his performance to date that would be a P45 anywhere else.

We are fully entitled to expect some type of ability from our elected representatives. FF or Bertie are part of this problem. Of the last batch of FF ministers very few stand out as quality , yet he picked almost all of them again. Surely in the 78 he has there must be others with more ability.

I am certainly nervous of the idea of Cullen being let loose in Social Welfare.

These are still more points that apply to all ministers, as you say yourself

“Of the last batch of FF ministers very few stand out as quality”

Again, What makes Cullen any more disserving of sacking?

bmaxi

Perhaps it would be fairer if Mike 65 and Ballybrickman were to enlighten us as to the merits of Martin Cullen. Why, apart from "He's one of us", do you think he is deserving of a Cabinet place?

is_that_so

Ballybrickenman wrote:

These are still more points that apply to all ministers, as you say yourself

“Of the last batch of FF ministers very few stand out as quality”

Again, What makes Cullen any more disserving of sacking?

Yes they are which is why we need to apply high standards to high office.

If you don't do a good enough job, you're out. I would say that 32 months is enough to understand what it is you are supposed to be doing.

In Cullen's case I think competence is a pretty big one. It's the frightening lack of ability being rewarded that scares me. I would also certainly add Dempsey, Roche, and Conor Lenihan ,although he did eventually cop on. IMO, Brennan is not really ministerial - much better as chief whip, and O'Dea is questionable. I would also add O Cuiv to that list as he doesn't really seem to do anything at all, but I'm sure to be corrected on that.

Mick86

Akrasia wrote:

Cullen's been moved to the department of social welfare
This is a disaster. The next 5 years is going to see a major reworking of the social welfare system to in bring 'Compulsion' whereby single parents will be forced into the workplace once their children reach 8 years old. (According the the NESC's Developmental Welfare State policy document)

Your making a lot of assumptions there.

1. The government might not last until Christmas.

2. In 5 years time there may not be work to place them in.

BBM77

bmaxi wrote:

Perhaps it would be fairer if Mike 65 and Ballybrickman were to enlighten us as to the merits of Martin Cullen. Why, apart from "He's one of us", do you think he is deserving of a Cabinet place?

He introduced mandatory breath testing and road deaths have been at there lowest for decades.

Transport 21, which set out a serious plan to improve the road network and public transport to a timescale, something no previous minister has had the vision to do before.

He keep the N9 upgrade on track when some clueless muppets were trying to block it by saying it was not needed.

Waterford for the first time in a generation has received a fair share of government funding.

He instigated improvements to the driving test system.


In the Dept of The Environment:

Rage against waste & the plastic bag levee.

Drainage schemes around the country.

A fairer level of funding for Waterford City Council.


I am not saying he is Mr perfect minister because he is from Waterford. I am saying he is no better or worst than any of the other ministers and did not deserve to be removed from the cabinet any more than any of the others ministers.

He has had to endure a concerted effort by the media to discredit and damage him to create an embarrassment for the government. The reason why they singled him out can only be answered by them.

K-9

Avns1s wrote:

FF lost three seats in the GE, PD's reduced to nearly nothing, Independents (taken as a block ) reduced to 50% of their former status and the Greens just about held their own probably based on the fact that they somewhat presented themselves as an opportunity for chance, Yet these bunch of REJECTS or at best partial rejects, find their way into power. FFS.

But FG/Lab had even less seats than FF and only regained the position they had in 97. What sort of rejects are those? Or would you prefer FG/Lab/Greens who hold their own/PD's reduced to nearly nothing/Independents (not as a block) and SF. On the same argument Lab/SF/Ind's/Greens where rejected as well.

Same argument applies to FG as to FF.

RainyDay

Ballybrickenman wrote:

You are clearly not aware that the e-voting issue was a cabinet matter and not a decision made by a single minister. This was acknowledge on Prime Time and some other sources yesterday. This is more of the “not believing everything you read in the papers” kind of thing.

And who brought the paper to cabinet?

Though it goes against all my principles, I'm actually starting to feel more than a little sympathy for Minnie Brennan. To be demoted not once, but twice, to make room for that tosser from Waterford must be hugely humiliating.

Heinrich

Martin will be doing this sort of thing next! Just the way to get the Port Tunnel concept nationwide.:D

Darragh29

Akrasia wrote:

Cullen's been moved to the department of social welfare
This is a disaster. The next 5 years is going to see a major reworking of the social welfare system to in bring 'Compulsion' whereby single parents will be forced into the workplace once their children reach 8 years old. (According the the NESC's Developmental Welfare State policy document)

Regardless of the theoretical merits or flaws of this scheme as a whole, if it is implemented poorly, it will be a complete disaster, and with Martin Cullen in charge, we're in for a very very rocky time.
He's going to make a complete balls of it, and the consequences will be much more severe than just a bit of wasted money on voting machines

Wait 'til you see the queues building up outside the Social Welfare offices now that Cullen is at the helm! I wouldn't send this useless turd to get me a bag of chips.

Avns1s

Seanies32 wrote:

But FG/Lab had even less seats than FF and only regained the position they had in 97. What sort of rejects are those? Or would you prefer FG/Lab/Greens who hold their own/PD's reduced to nearly nothing/Independents (not as a block) and SF. On the same argument Lab/SF/Ind's/Greens where rejected as well.

Same argument applies to FG as to FF.

I don't see any sense in this reflection on the 1997 election given that I seem to recall an election in 2002 and since that was the last test, surely improvement of position or otherwise, should be based on that not on any previous election.

Why don't you compare the FF position then to the 1977 election?

K-9

Avns1s wrote:

I don't see any sense in this reflection on the 1997 election given that I seem to recall an election in 2002 and since that was the last test, surely improvement of position or otherwise, should be based on that not on any previous election.

Why don't you compare the FF position then to the 1977 election?

Ok then. FG/Lab/Green/PD's/SF/Independents. All these groups bar FG and Greens who kept the same, lost seats in the election.

dodgyme

Ballybrickenman wrote:

He instigated improvements to the driving test system.
.

Oh ya that is why the list of people waiting is still going up even after dozens of cullen (look and photograph me I martin) so called initiatives. Oh and Waterford got looked after, the latter being you only argument. As for transport 21 what a laugh, when is he holding another photo shoot to announce it yet again.

ninty9er

Well Bertie has a soft spot for Cullen that no successor will have. Cullen is just bumbling in terms of his public persona, this may not be the case in terms of his work, but I do see where people are coming from.

e-voting will happen once the software is sorted...there is nothing wrong with the machines!!! AFAIK the machines are stored in the same place as our thousands of ballot boxes so the overall cost wouldn't be massively out of line. why does nobody complain about the cost of them!!

It's fair to slate him though as he doesn't ever seem as prepared as any other minister in the 29th Dáil. I'm not expecting great things out of DSFA, but maybe he'll just do what he's told and we could see some progress

Trotter

Akrasia wrote:

He's going to make a complete balls of it, and the consequences will be much more severe than just a bit of wasted money on voting machines

Hang on.. Cullen didnt bring in the E-Voting Machine plan.. Why is that his fault?

Cullen hasnt fixed the traffic problems in Dublin in 2 and a half years.. so I presume that makes him crap too? Jesus Christ himself would have issues fixing the transport problem in Dublin.

Cullen just isnt liked in the media.. and when people start taking the media as gospel then we are in big trouble.

Then again.. because theres a slight dislike in my post for people who tear someone apart based on what they read about him... then I suppose this becomes a rant to be disregarded too.

dodgyme wrote:

Also Mike I notice you are from waterford, the heart land of cullen support. perhaps you have the agenda to defend him because he probably looked after the constituency instead of doing his job as minister.

So because I'm from Waterford and disagree with you, I have an agenda too? Im not a FF voter.. I just think you're following a pre decided course based on what you read in the papers.

dancin

ninty9er wrote:

e-voting will happen once the software is sorted...there is nothing wrong with the machines!!!

did you actually use the e-voting machines? I did in 2002, and I can tell you they are very poor quality. If a bank were to roll out atm's of that standard, they would fill the branches with people looking to make withdrawls...
They are straight out of the early 80's, red led digits. buttons poorly laid out, and not sized correctly. For the millions they cost, they are a disgrace. I'd be sure that in 2002 many votes were cast in error due solely to these machines.
I'm not anti e-voting, and yes the machines did work in 2002. But no business in this day and age would even dream of deploying poor 80's tech in a public facing role. Why is e-voting any different. Surely for all the money it cost, better machines could have been bought?

dodgyme

Trotter wrote:

Hang on.. Cullen didnt bring in the E-Voting Machine plan.. Why is that his fault?.

He took responsibility for it when taking over as minister and made a mess of it, one which we are all still paying for. The Software was out of date by years and the storage of the machines is costing millions but of course it would be his responsibility no no!

Trotter wrote:

Cullen hasnt fixed the traffic problems in Dublin in 2 and a half years.. so I presume that makes him crap too? Jesus Christ himself would have issues fixing the transport problem in Dublin.?.

Cullen did close to nothing to improve transport in Dublin and seemed not to understand how to do this apart from bublin his way thru T.V interviews talking Sh*te and doing it in the 3rd person

Trotter wrote:

Cullen just isnt liked in the media.. .

or outside waterford it seems or by anyone

Trotter wrote:

Then again.. because theres a slight dislike in my post for people who tear someone apart based on what they read about him... then I suppose this becomes a rant to be disregarded too.

If you read the earlier post by ballybrickeen man he said he was biased so what are other posters supposed to do. Oh you are bias and have the neck to say it but expect no one will argue with you.

Trotter wrote:

So because I'm from Waterford and disagree with you, I have an agenda too? Im not a FF voter.. I just think you're following a pre decided course based on what you read in the papers.

I never mentioned the newspapers. Also why is it Micheal Lowry and Bev flynn get in even though the rest of the country cant understand how people voted for them. This is because of local supporters. So putting 2 and 2 together the fact you are from waterford and Cullen is elected there with good % of 1st perferences I think it is safe to assume the people of waterford support cullen alot more then the picture of how the people of ireland regard him. Which is why I posted "not Cullen again". The man is incompetent! oh that must be the papers fault oh ya. Any any of the policies cullen did go thru with were terrible, the constant backing of new PPP schemes and privatisation of speed camera. I wouldnt trust him to cross the road correctly

fly_agaric

Trotter wrote:

Jesus Christ himself would have issues fixing the transport problem in Dublin.

On the contrary I think that Jesus Christ would have no problem fixing the traffic (or transport) problems in Dublin.:)

Failing that, a few decent politicians truly committed to fixing said problems (as opposed to greedy people beholden to short sighted electorates who expect them to prime the old Parish Pump) might help!

Trotter

fly_agaric wrote:

On the contrary I think that Jesus Christ would have no problem fixing the traffic (or transport) problems in Dublin.:)

Failing that, a few decent politicians truly committed to fixing said problems (as opposed to greedy people beholden to short sighted electorates who expect them to prime the old Parish Pump) might help!

Dublin based people want the Dublin transport fixed by the minister.. thats fair enough. Whats wrong with people based in other parts of the country wanting things fixed in their areas too? Every minister looks after their own constituency.. its just a fact of life. Human nature is that you cover your ass to make sure you get elected again and keep your job. Thats not just cullen.. Every minister does and will do that.

I think some Dublin based people feel that Dublin far outweighs the rest of the country in general importance. It doesnt.. For anyone, their own local area is their "parish pump" and they want it looked after.. be that Dublin, Waterford, Kerry, Donegal.. Wherever.

RainyDay

ninty9er wrote:

e-voting will happen once the software is sorted...

And how will we know that the 'sorted' version of software is running on the machines (and not a version that has been 'sorted' to give a particular result)?

BBM77

dodgyme wrote:

Oh ya that is why the list of people waiting is still going up even after dozens of cullen (look and photograph me I martin) so called initiatives. Oh and Waterford got looked after, the latter being you only argument. As for transport 21 what a laugh, when is he holding another photo shoot to announce it yet again.

This is the kind of selective answer I have come to expect from you. You are ignoring the positives and twisting polices you do not agree with to seem like negatives. If anybody reads my posts on this thread they will clearly see that Waterford being looked after is far from my only argument in support of Cullen.

What is wrong with transport 21, there are various projects going on around the country that are part of transport 21.

I also notice that you did not clear up my feeling that you are from a constituency that has no minister. (Post #20)

dodgyme wrote:

Any any of the policies cullen did go thru with were terrible, the constant backing of new PPP schemes and privatisation of speed camera.

If you were to sack a minister every time someone disagreed with one of there polices, nobody would last a week in the job. Disagreeing is all this is. Are you trying to tell me that Cullen should be sacked because he pursued a policy you do not agree with?

RainyDay wrote:

Though it goes against all my principles, I'm actually starting to feel more than a little sympathy for Minnie Brennan. To be demoted not once, but twice, to make room for that tosser from Waterford must be hugely humiliating.

As a nation we had to endure the humiliation of tossers from Dublin directing gross amounts of government funds to Dublin with zero improvements to Dublin’s problems when better use and value would be achieved “down the country”. So you know what you can do with your Dublin is more important attitude.

dodgyme

Ballybrickenman wrote:

I also notice that you did not clear up my feeling that you are from a constituency that has no minister. .

My constituency has a cabinet minister. .....next!

BBM77

dodgyme wrote:

My constituency has a cabinet minister. .....next!

What constituency would that be?

dodgyme

Ballybrickenman wrote:

What constituency would that be?

Dublin 15 (or Dublin west on the vote forms)

Stark

Ballybrickenman wrote:

If you were to sack a minister every time someone disagreed with one of there polices, nobody would last a week in the job. Disagreeing is all this is. Are you trying to tell me that Cullen should be sacked because he pursued a policy you do not agree with?

It's more that he doesn't have a single policy that anyone agrees with.

CerebralCortex

Ballybrickenman wrote:

Somehow, I kind of expected you would. When someone disagrees with you, it’s a rant, I think that says it all!

You lookin for a fight?

BBM77

Stark wrote:

It's more that he doesn't have a single policy that anyone agrees with.

Is cutting road deaths a policy you don’t agree with?

Heinrich

Ballybrickenman wrote:

Is cutting road deaths a policy you don’t agree with?

Judging from the recent spate I would not be crowing success too quickly.

BBM77

Heinrich wrote:

Judging from the recent spate I would not be crowing success too quickly.

Transport is out of Cullen’s hands now, but I am sure ye will find some way to blame him anyway.

Stark

Ballybrickenman wrote:

Transport is out of Cullen’s hands now, but I am sure ye will find some way to blame him anyway.

He's just barely out of office. Unless something radical has changed since he left, I'm guessing the current state of affairs is still a result of his term in office. Perhaps Cullen was using his divine powers to reduce the deaths and now we don't have that protection.