Would Ireland be better if Michael McDowell was still in cabinet?

Tim Robbins

Would Ireland be better off if McDowell was still around?

He was certainly not afraid to make tough decisions and he had a superb legal knowledge. It's interesting to think how he would have handled the banking crisis and the current industrial action from the Unions.

Would we have been better or worse off with him?

Discuss...

bladespin

Didn't his superb legal knowledge leave children unprotected by our laws for a time?

MagicSean

Tim Robbins wrote: »

Would Ireland be better off if McDowell was still around?

He was certainly not afraid to make tough decisions and he had a superb legal knowledge. It's interesting to think how he would have handled the banking crisis and the current industrial action from the Unions.

Would we have been better or worse off with him?

Discuss...

Better off. I think he did a great job. Great to have a justice minister who was a former AG.

Dannyboy83

I didn't necessarily agree with a lot of his views, but there is no doubt that he was effective when it came to implementing them (relative to what we are used to at least).

bamboozle

well if it meant we had less than six former teachers in our front bench i'd be all for it!

I always admired McDowell, he certainly didnt court popularity!

Tim Robbins

Dannyboy83 wrote: »

I didn't necessarily agree with a lot of his views, but there is no doubt that he was effective when it came to implementing them (relative to what we are used to at least).

Alan Shatter made a point that the government could server an injunction against the CPSU because people constitutional rights were being denied.
He also made a point that if any member of the public took the government to the high court, the government would loose.

You need someone with good legal know how and balls to serve injuctions. I think McDowell would have done this.

As for the banks, they are getting off because the current cabinet are afraid to come up with some legislation to get them. Again, I think McDowell would have been the man to do this.

problemchimp

Dannyboy83 wrote: »

I didn't necessarily agree with a lot of his views, but there is no doubt that he was effective when it came to implementing them (relative to what we are used to at least).

what did he actually implement? I know he did a lot of shouting but so does Kevin Myres

Tim Robbins

problemchimp wrote: »

what did he actually implement? I know he did a lot of shouting but so does Kevin Myres

75% of legislation in the first two years of the '02 - '07 government came from him. Read "Breaking the Mould" by Stephen Collins.

problemchimp

Tim Robbins wrote: »

75% of legislation in the first two years of him in government came from him. Read "Breaking the Mould" by Stephen Collins.

cheers

Tim Robbins

problemchimp wrote: »

cheers

Your welcome.

MagicSean

Tim Robbins wrote: »

Alan Shatter made a point that the government could server an injunction against the CPSU because people constitutional rights were being denied.
He also made a point that if any member of the public took the government to the high court, the government would loose.

You need someone with good legal know how and balls to serve injuctions. I think McDowell would have done this.

As for the banks, they are getting off because the current cabinet are afraid to come up with some legislation to get them. Again, I think McDowell would have been the man to do this.

Ive heard that argument before. What constitutional rights are being infringed?

ei.sdraob

god no

Laminations

k_mac wrote: »

Ive heard that argument before. What constitutional rights are being infringed?

The right to travel AFAIK

MagicSean

Laminations wrote: »

The right to travel AFAIK

There's no legal requirement to have a passport to travel within the EU. I thought that was an airline requirement. I might bring this to the legal discussion forum. Its an interesting one.

Idbatterim

He certainly didnt court populatiry and I would love to see his take on the whole PS nonsense! Get him and Shane Ross in. I would love to see him there, but dont think for his own sake he should go! We like talkers in this counry, not doers! I can see from a few of the above posts, the hostility towards him! No we'll stick with Cowen, Coughlan and the other wasters, atleast they dont do anything, ie upset anyone! The same way Vradakar is being made to apologies for yesterdays comments! I personally couldnt care less about the age of who he is commenting in its what they have done and achieved that counts! If Hitler were still alive, should we have respect for him because of his age?

P. Breathnach

k_mac wrote: »

There's no legal requirement to have a passport to travel within the EU. I thought that was an airline requirement. I might bring this to the legal discussion forum. Its an interesting one.

We opted out of Schengen. That means that the only place that I have a right to go without a passport is the UK (it would be different if we had national ID cards).

gandalf

k_mac wrote: »

There's no legal requirement to have a passport to travel within the EU. I thought that was an airline requirement. I might bring this to the legal discussion forum. Its an interesting one.

Nope not quite true

All EU countries are full Schengen members except for Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom. You will therefore need to present a valid passport or ID card to travel to those five countries.

http://europa.eu/travel/doc/index_en.htm

MagicSean

Idbatterim wrote: »

He certainly didnt court populatiry and I would love to see his take on the whole PS nonsense! Get him and Shane Ross in. I would love to see him there, but dont think for his own sake he should go! We like talkers in this counry, not doers! I can see from a few of the above posts, the hostility towards him! No we'll stick with Cowen, Coughlan and the other wasters, atleast they dont do anything, ie upset anyone! The same way Vradakar is being made to apologies for yesterdays comments! I personally couldnt care less about the age of who he is commenting in its what they have done and achieved that counts! If Hitler were still alive, should we have respect for him because of his age?

Exactly which politician are you comparing to hitler? I'm pretty sure if he was still alive we'd all be talking german and there would be no such thing as a strike.

gandalf

k_mac wrote: »

Exactly which politician are you comparing to hitler? I'm pretty sure if he was still alive we'd all be talking german and there would be no such thing as a strike.

TBH once some brings Adolf out of the closet they have lost the argument. Good old Godwins law

problemchimp

k_mac wrote: »

Exactly which politician are you comparing to hitler? I'm pretty sure if he was still alive we'd all be talking german and there would be no such thing as a strike.

your going down a dodgy road there

problemchimp

Laminations wrote: »

The right to travel AFAIK

What does AFAIK mean?

MagicSean

problemchimp wrote: »

What does AFAIK mean?

As far as I know

problemchimp

k_mac wrote: »

As far as I know

thanks, I'm stilla novice.