Carlow/Kilkenny lose Junior Minister

brettmirl

KCLR are reporting that John McGuinness has not been re-appointed as a Junior Minister.

Is it a blow to the area? Or did it make any difference in the first place?

fabbydabby

I don't know enough about what the job entails (perhaps some of the more politically minded among you could enlighten me) to decide whether it was a blow or not.

I do think that with one green and 3 FFs (four out of five elected in Carlow Kilkenny) in government we should have decent representation though, in the form of a junior minister or whatever, and at the moment we don't.

Stephen

Geographic spread is a stupid way to pick people for these jobs. It should be the best person for the job! Althoguh that said, it may be a bit hard to pick a "best" candidate when you can only choose from FFers :pac:

fabbydabby

I wasn't referring to geographic spread, I was referring to the fact that this consituency have four out of their five TDs in government. And three of those are FF. And we have no misisters despite this.

brettmirl

fabbydabby wrote: »

I don't know enough about what the job entails (perhaps some of the more politically minded among you could enlighten me) to decide whether it was a blow or not.

I do think that with one green and 3 FFs (four out of five elected in Carlow Kilkenny) in government we should have decent representation though, in the form of a junior minister or whatever, and at the moment we don't.

He was a Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise Trade & Employment. His brief was "Trade & Commerce".

He was viewed as outspoken though and said that the two Brians (Cowen & Lenihan) made a balls of the budget - or words to that effect - which probably didnt do him any favours.

I don't remember any full Minister in the constituency in my lifetime.
Only Liam Alyward as a Junior Minister for Sport for a brief period.

ChristIsMurph

What reaction will the people of Kilkenny give to this? Will they get behind FF or will they slaughter them in the locals?

brettmirl

FF are going to get slaughtered in the locals anyway...

ChristIsMurph

That is a given across the country. But it could be slightly different in Kilkenny. John could possibly gather a strong vote for his team as people rally behind him. Or people could tell him to feck off and that they want FF out altogether.

fabbydabby

I have no interest in developing an allegance political parties in this country, because I can see no reasons to support (say) FF over FG, other than historical ones, but I have to say I like the guy. He is hard working speaks his mind even if what he says mightn't go down the best with some groups or his party collegues and that's not all that common these days.

Raze_them_all

I dont know anything about it, what did he actually do for the region?

Stroke Politics

Has his own son Cllr. Andrew McGuinness, who worked as his "special advisor", now lost his state job as well?

ChristIsMurph

Stroke Politics wrote: »

Has his own son Cllr. Andrew McGuinness, who worked as his "special advisor", now lost his state job as well?

Indeed. As have the rest of his members of staff. Although most TD's retain a secretary and a personal assistant in their constituencies so it is quite possible that two of them will retain their jobs. Cllr. McGuinness could become his personal assistant.

Stroke Politics

ChristIsMurph wrote: »

Indeed. As have the rest of his members of staff. Although most TD's retain a secretary and a personal assistant in their constituencies so it is quite possible that two of them will retain their jobs. Cllr. McGuinness could become his personal assistant.

Baby Guinness might have the time on his hands after June so that he doesn't have to double-job anymore.....

Nightwish

Raze_them_all wrote: »

I dont know anything about it, what did he actually do for the region?

Nothing at all, so I dont see it as a great loss.

Mason Fairbanks

Definitely no loss. Good riddance

Formosa

Mason Fairbanks wrote: »

Definitely no loss. Good riddance

+1

And he is a b0llocks into the bargain!

The Orb

This thread is symptomatic with what is wrong with the country, parish pump politics at its worst. Open your minds and see that government is for the state, not just having your own man up in Dublin pulling a few strokes for the lads back home. Cop the hell on and put the country first. Anyway a Junior Minister post isn't worth a damn, they were only invesnted as jobs for the boys, they should all be scrapped. Gombeens.

zootroid

I have absolutely no idea what his job actually was, or what he was supposed to be doing. I think the majority of junior ministerial roles were simply invented to placate the back benchers, so that they get more money and the impression that they are getting a promotion, and might get an actual ministerial portfolio one day.

As for McGuinness, I have no time for him. He strikes me as someone who says a lot without saying anything at all anytime someone asks him a question (although that can be said of a lot of politicians).

The only plus I see on his side is that he occasionally speaks his mind, even if it goes against the government.

Overall though, he has never done or said anything that convinces me he is particularly bright.

Coillte_Bhoy

fabbydabby wrote: »

I wasn't referring to geographic spread, I was referring to the fact that this consituency have four out of their five TDs in government. And three of those are FF. And we have no misisters despite this.

Hello??? That is exactly what he means by geographical spread. Pick people on their capabilities and not what region they are from.

catbear

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Hello??? That is exactly what he means by geographical spread. Pick people on their capabilities and not what region they are from.

i'd imagine one reason Kilkenny doesn't have a minister is because it has four out of five of its seat in government. strategically it makes more sense to appoint ministers from leaner constituencies to boost potential returns there in a future election, which could be soon.

i think five years is too long a term, three or four max. collapse the dail in half and create two chamber from it. abolish the senate.

Peyton Manning

Absolutely delighted.

Mr. McGuinness, may I be the first to say that karma is a bitch.

Couldnt happen to a more deserving arsehole.

Arc.

road_high

Seems McGuinness' "outspokeness" has cost KK Carlow a junior minsitry. Why couldn't he just play the bloody game like the rest of them do and get investment for the constituency.
You can't be a member of FF, vote with them in the dail, then go on the radio critiscing them!!

KatCookie

I honestly cant see what difference it made, except for Kilkenny/Carlow people to possibly look down on those who didn't have a Minister.. Its not like it created hundreds of jobs or hugely boosted morale!
The son owns that courier service doesn't he? DPD?

and the youngest one has spent the equivalent of the guts of a severance/ redundancy package on his Golf in the past few months...

sunflower27

I have had one personal dealing with John McGuinness. I was having problems getting a work permit sorted (I am a non-EU national) and Mr McGuinness sorted it for me in one day so that I could start work immediately... he didnt have to do this for me so quickly but it was very much appreciated.

Stephen

Can we lay off on the personal attacks please folks.

Queen-Mise

All we need is another 30/40 of the politicians to go, half their wages. And the country may be in a better place.

fricatus

The Orb wrote: »

This thread is symptomatic with what is wrong with the country, parish pump politics at its worst. Open your minds and see that government is for the state, not just having your own man up in Dublin pulling a few strokes for the lads back home. Cop the hell on and put the country first. Anyway a Junior Minister post isn't worth a damn, they were only invesnted as jobs for the boys, they should all be scrapped. Gombeens.

It's all very well saying that, but the fact is that the country's resources are not fairly or equitably shared out, and decisions on the location of facilities are done on the basis of county/constituency lobbying. Why else would cancer facilities have been maintained so long in Ballinasloe (smaller than Youghal, Tramore or Enniscorthy), rather than, as common sense would dictate, being centralised in Galway?

It's very important for an area to have a minister, and a junior minister is a stepping stone up to that holy grail. When you have representation at the cabinet table, suddenly decisions start getting made in your favour; when you don't, then you're out in the wilderness.

It's a symptom of this county based constituency system that we have, which is reinforced by the strong sense of county loyalty that the GAA fosters. It's also a symptom of cumann selection procedures (like having to have an Athlone TD and a Mullingar TD to placate both ends of the same county).

How do we solve it? A list system would be good, but how do we stop TDs and ministers that are selected under that system from prioritising their own areas? Well the fact that they would be elected by the whole country and not just their own area would help.

The other thing that would help is a proper implementation of the National Spatial Strategy, based on rigorous spatial population and movement analysis, as well as cost-benefit analyses for major projects. This is something that just doesn't seem to feature in this country.

Our man in Havana

What did you think of his performance on the The Late Late Show?

Nightwish

Dodged questions and came across very bitter. If he had such a problem with his brief, why didnt he resign?

Peyton Manning

Came across as a very bitter man, and yes, dodged certain questions. But Im sure he loved his 15 minutes.

Firetrap

I've always thought he was all talk and no action though. It's easy to throw stones.