Brendan Howlin,a teacher, Minster for Public Reform

Eager_Beaver

Anyone else think this will be a total disaster? I'm a staunch Labour supporter but think this is a massive f*** up!

Brenireland

Who knows,He can talk the talk but let's hope he can walk to.

whatstherush

All I'll say is thank fook it's not moan in there.

Eager_Beaver

Shes a trained accountant, would have made MUCH more sense, even if her voice could kill a man

d'Oracle

Frankly, Jimmy Deenihan with his degree in Physical Education, is in charge of Arts, Heritage and gealtacht.

Puts this thread in perspective.

Corsendonk

Poacher turned gamekeeper etc! How many teachers did we elect this time to the Dail?

th3 s1aught3r

Eager_Beaver wrote: »

Anyone else think this will be a total disaster? I'm a staunch Labour supporter but think this is a massive f*** up!

Why, who else would you put in there ?
Whoever it is will just be there to appease the unions anyway

COYW

Well at least we know we can forget about any reform of the public sector. If it was ever going to happen, they would have put someone from FG in the position. I expect the reform to cost us money as a result of hefty redundancy packages negotiated by the unions.

Eager_Beaver

th3 s1aught3r wrote: »

Why, who else would you put in there ?
Whoever it is will just be there to appease the unions anyway

Eh, Joan Burton, an Accountant, and therefore not a teacher/public servant

d'Oracle

Eager_Beaver wrote: »

Eh, Joan Burton, an Accountant, and therefore not a teacher/public servant

She lectured my mate......

Eager_Beaver

d'Oracle wrote: »

She lectured my mate......

and now i see she is on paid leave from DIT... oops... apologies for not doing enough research..

d'Oracle

Eager_Beaver wrote: »

and now i see she is on paid leave from DIT... oops... apologies for not doing enough research..

Don't apologise, I was just pointing it out for S&G's.:D
It doesn't erode her qualification at all.

NSNO

Reform =/= cuts. He is not Minister for Public Cuts.


I'd actually be worried if he was a ranking union official or something. Just because he's a teacher doesn't mean he can't comprehend the need for public sector reform. It's not like the nation's teachers are engaged in some sort of wide conspiracy intent on defrauding the State. These are real people engaged in frankly tough work with a distinct lack of resources and they know better than anybody the need for reform.

If anything, he'll be more acutely aware of what cuts to frontline services actually mean in practice for the teachers and pupils of Ireland and will be more motivated to find savings within the Department rather than within schools.

Einhard

Eager_Beaver wrote: »

Eh, Joan Burton, an Accountant, and therefore not a teacher/public servant

I think you'll find that everyone in the Dail is a public servant.

Also, I know several teachers who see the major reform that's needed in education. I'll judge Howlin on his actions, not on his former occupation. I think this focus on the former professions of ministers is misguided. Profession does not a person make. Michael Collins was a bank clerk for example. Let's judge the government on its policies and actions, rather than personalities, qualifications, or former professions.

wow sierra

Could it have more to do with style/personality? I would imagine Joan Burton would be fairly confrontational in style. Would she find it hard to get co-operation from the other department leaders/ministers. What would her working relationship with Noonan be like?

Its the only reason I can think of - she seemed like the likely choice. I imagine she is disgusted.

GSF

Eager_Beaver wrote: »

Eh, Joan Burton, an Accountant, and therefore not a teacher/public servant

Bertie was an accountant also - remind me how that went?

flutered

wow sierra wrote: »

Could it have more to do with style/personality? I would imagine Joan Burton would be fairly confrontational in style. Would she find it hard to get co-operation from the other department leaders/ministers. What would her working relationship with Noonan be like?

Its the only reason I can think of - she seemed like the likely choice. I imagine she is disgusted.

it is quite possible that she is having a bad hair day.

P. Breathnach

GSF wrote: »

Bertie was an accountant also ...

In much the same way as Pearse Doherty is an engineer.

Killer Pigeon

I think that Richard Bruton should have gotten the watered down Department of Finance over Michael Noonan to deal with banking, the IMF/EU, etc., or whatever that new portfolio might entail; although his chances were obviously slashed after he challenged Enda Kenny's leadership of Fine Gael in 2010.

I think that Joan Burton would have been far more suited for the new Department of Public Expenditure and Reform than the likes of Brendan Howlin based on her previous profession and experience.

Overall I'm quite disappointed at the appointments of the new finance portfolios. It would have made far more since to have financiers/economists (albeit former) in those position than school teachers. But alas, this is Ireland...

Killer Pigeon

GSF wrote: »

Bertie was an accountant also - remind me how that went?

Bertie Ahern was a professional liar. There exists no record of him actually being an accountant. He claimed he went to UCD and the London School of Economics yet neither of those institutions has any record of him being graduating or even being a student.

Young Mr Grace

Howlin is a big surprise for this job and can't have been the first choice for such an important and high profile Finance role.
If Gilmore/Kenny could not choose between Burton & Rabbitte for whatever reason, surely Ruairi Quinn would have been a better option with his previous ministerial experience and his impressive pre-election contributions? Who knows what went on in that mysterious half an hour? (Apart from Kenny and the rest of them I guess)
Maybe I'm being unfair to Howlin, who is clearly a very able politican and one who's character and resolve is beyond question. We'll have to wait & see ...

Bullseye1

Longer summer holidays.

conorhal

NSNO wrote: »

Reform =/= cuts. He is not Minister for Public Cuts.


I'd actually be worried if he was a ranking union official or something. Just because he's a teacher doesn't mean he can't comprehend the need for public sector reform. It's not like the nation's teachers are engaged in some sort of wide conspiracy intent on defrauding the State. These are real people engaged in frankly tough work with a distinct lack of resources and they know better than anybody the need for reform.

If anything, he'll be more acutely aware of what cuts to frontline services actually mean in practice for the teachers and pupils of Ireland and will be more motivated to find savings within the Department rather than within schools.

"Comprehend the need for public sector reform" my arse.
Both the ASTI and TUI rejected the Croke Park agreement (as cushy a deal as the public sector were ever going to get), the TUI still stand outside the agreement all because they were asked to work an extra 33 hours per year. Generally the teachers have been the most militant and self entitled sector of the public service so I wouldn't hold out much hope for common sense coming from that quater.

Tim Robbins

Corsendonk wrote: »

Poacher turned gamekeeper etc! How many teachers did we elect this time to the Dail?

Kenny and Noonan are also teachers. The three most important politicians regarding the economy are teachers.

#15

Tim Robbins wrote: »

Kenny and Noonan are also teachers. The three most important politicians regarding the economy are teachers.

They're career politicians. Kenny was in the classroom for 4 years in the 70s.

He hasn't been a teacher for years.

Worztron

http://www.thejournal.ie/minister-for-public-expenditure-spent-e47-on-toilet-sign-in-e47000-office-makeover-185060-Jul2011/

:eek:

What were you thinking Howlin. A thundering disgrace. Labour say they are on the left but they are really just another bunch of money grabbers.