Candiates for Election, whats their qualifications?

average_runner

What I have notice over the years that there are people as ministers or tds in the dail, and they have no relevant experience for the areas they work in.


One of my main questions this time around is to ask them what are their qualifications and if they dont have any I wont be voting for them.


I mean Cowen was no accountant and yet minister of Finance?
Whats labours to be minster of finance qualifications for that postion?

Also if they mention local issues I will stop them there and then, as this election should not be about local issues but about getting Ireland back up and running!

Cat Melodeon

assessing people on the criteria of the paper qualifications they hold is a bit elitist, don't you think? Plenty of capable politicians have no degrees, or no degree in an area specific to their portfolio. Ray Mcsharry was an excellent Minister for Finance and had no formal qualifications, ran a haulage company if I remember correctly. It's about leadership, integrity and an ability to listen to the right people.

Lockstep

average_runner wrote: »

I mean Cowen was no accountant and yet minister of Finance?
Whats labours to be minster of finance qualifications for that postion?

Joan Burton?
Her qualification was in commerce but she is qualified as/worked as an accountant, also lectured in accounting in DIT.

Although Ruairi Quinn (Who I would view as one of our best Finance Ministers) was an architect by trade.

Biggins

Anyone know if Jackie Healy Rea has any at all?

It shouldn't be a prerequisite but some sort of formal education and qualifications would certainly help in various roles.

mikemac

If you are a minister you have a Secretary General and a department of qualified (hopefully?) people to support you.

The ministers job is to lead and inspire and set and achieve goals, not get bogged down in tiny details and then get nothing done

southsiderosie

Cat Melodeon wrote: »

assessing people on the criteria of the paper qualifications they hold is a bit elitist, don't you think? Plenty of capable politicians have no degrees, or no degree in an area specific to their portfolio. Ray Mcsharry was an excellent Minister for Finance and had no formal qualifications, ran a haulage company if I remember correctly. It's about leadership, integrity and an ability to listen to the right people.

I think someone who went from no qualifications to running their own company is in many ways hugely qualified. They obviously have get-up-and-go, they will have some awareness of how government regulation affects business and job creation, and they have managerial experience. These are all great attributes in a politician.

That said, most people I know who built up their own businesses or worked their way up though a company LOATHE politicians and the government, and wouldn't touch electoral politics with a barge pole.

d'Oracle

There is a reason for that.

People who run their own businesses or executives and what are basically dictators.
Business isn't a democratic process. Its do what your told &/or tell what to do.

Governmental briefs are very much not that.

On topic, I think it helps but is not necessary.
It depends on the person and the breif.

Right now I'd like to see people with inside knowledge in certain portfolios.
Specifically Health which has spent basically donkey years with people at the helm who do not understand what is wrong and how much damage is done.
I reckon that a financial/economics background is probably more important to Enterprise Trade and Employment than Finance.

I don't think a teacher or educational professional should be in Education, mainly cos the unions are so strong. It could create a conflict of interest at worst and awkwardness at the least.

I don't think anybody in the dail or likely to be in the next will have a better clue about DCNER than Ryan and he will be gone most likely. Even at that he hasn't a bulls notion about the communications end.
What could qualify you for that anyway? Or Arts Culture and Gealtacht for that matter?

Environment and Local Government?
Most of them are qualified enough for the latter bit, probably, but I wouldn't want a former local councillor in charge of local government right now.

I could go on, but I really should be heading home.

Koyasan

feelingstressed wrote: »

If you are a minister you have a Secretary General and a department of qualified (hopefully?) people to support you.

The ministers job is to lead and inspire and set and achieve goals, not get bogged down in tiny details and then get nothing done

Agreed, but some diversity at cabinet level away from Teachers and Solicitors/Barristers would be nice. I think Eamon Ryan is the only successful entrepreneur we had in such a position (?).

d'Oracle

Biggins wrote: »

Anyone know if Jackie Healy Rea has any at all?

It shouldn't be a prerequisite but some sort of formal education and qualifications would certainly help in various roles.

Erh....Something about the farmers of Shouth Kerry?

SerialComplaint

Koyasan wrote: »

Agreed, but some diversity at cabinet level away from Teachers and Solicitors/Barristers would be nice. I think Eamon Ryan is the only successful entrepreneur we had in such a position (?).

And we all know what a huge success he's been as a TD/Minister

Corsendonk

d'Oracle wrote: »

Erh....Something about the farmers of Shouth Kerry?

I think he lives over a pub so he must have publican knowledge!!!:D

Snakeblood

feelingstressed wrote: »

If you are a minister you have a Secretary General and a department of qualified (hopefully?) people to support you.

The ministers job is to lead and inspire and set and achieve goals, not get bogged down in tiny details and then get nothing done

It would be nice if they were able to understand complicated issues or sets of figures within their department and not have to take someone elses word for what it actually meant.

delta_bravo

d'Oracle wrote: »

Right now I'd like to see people with inside knowledge in certain portfolios.
Specifically Health which has spent basically donkey years with people at the helm who do not understand what is wrong and how much damage is done.
I reckon that a financial/economics background is probably more important to Enterprise Trade and Employment than Finance.

I don't think a teacher or educational professional should be in Education, mainly cos the unions are so strong. It could create a conflict of interest at worst and awkwardness at the least.

Thats a bit hypocritical to say a teacher shouldn't be minister for Education but a person with experience in the Medical field should have the health portfolio.

Koyasan

SerialComplaint wrote: »

And we all know what a huge success he's been as a TD/Minister

Indeed, I have to agree with you. You've clearly also read the long discussion on another thread Oracle detailing all the achievements he's had since entering office that are never reported on. I think this must be the source. http://www.greenparty.ie/en/government/achievements_in_government/policies_in_action
It's all stuff that makes the country more secure and sustainable in the long run, so, in other words, not very sexy and showing the Greens in a good light: two characteristics guaranteed to make sure they don't appear in print in Ireland. I do remember the FT being full of praise. But that's not an Irish paper...