Who would your ideal non politican Taoiseach be?

baylah17

So if you could pick a non party hack to lead to lead the Government who would it be?
I would pick pick someone who would put country before party.
Someone not blinkered by narrow ideology.
I'd go for someone like Roy Keane, focused,determined, takes no crap, and demands the same level of commitment from those around him that he brings himself.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Probably Michael O'Leary. He'd get things done with the least fuss and in a sensible and affordable manner which would be in total contrast to the bunch of clowns that currently call themselves government.

Richard Hillman

George Hook

BillyBobBS

Another one for O'Leary. We have so many problems though from years of incompetent governance if would be a massive massive job. Also the inside cosy cartel of political *****rs always round the wagons when someone from the outside dares to shake things up so he'd face all kinds of challenges before he even started to tackle stuff like the health service, housing or PS pensions. Look at what happened to George lee as a small example.

NIMAN

Unfortunately the likes of Keano or O'Leary would quickly find that you can't run a country like a business or a football club.

frag420

NIMAN wrote: »

Unfortunately the likes of Keano or O'Leary would quickly find that you can't run a country like a business or a football club.

Lets give it a shot, it has taken decades for us to realise that the usual politicians cant run a country at all!

Peregrinus

Pretty much by definition, a non-politician would make a lousy Taoiseach. A good Taoiseach needs first-class political skills, and the way you develop and hone your political skills is, um, through politics.

Choose a forceful, assertive personality with negligible political skills or experience and you end up with Donald Trump.

Solomon Pleasant

Peregrinus wrote: »

Pretty much by definition, a non-politician would make a lousy Taoiseach. A good Taoiseach needs first-class political skills, and the way you develop and hone your political skills is, um, through politics.

Choose a forceful, assertive personality with negligible political skills or experience and you end up with Donald Trump.

Very true. Appointing an agressive individual just because you think they'll make people do their jobs isn't necessarily a great policy to advocate.

Good politicians are willing to innovate and change, because through change we can progress.

Secondly, they must be able to make tough decisions that aren't necessarily universally popular. Merkel accepting so many migrants into Germany in 2015 is a good example.

Th problem with politics in Ireland and many other countries is that there is a conflict of interest in that the goal of every politician is to be re elected and, as such, they make political decisions based on this thought process. The goal should be to make the best decision for the nation as a whole.

xzanti

Vincent Browne.

wordofwarning

Michael O'Leary. Although it he is not a politician, he is quite political. The man is always dealing with the EU and politicans ie local airport that Ryanair flies into are generally political hot potatoes.

I don't think he would a popular politician for the working class. He would slash a lot of the waste that they directly enjoy ie the never ending welfare programmes that allow some of them not to work in their lifetime. I don't think a lot of people would like the reform to welfare, education, healthcare etc.

Look at the backlash Leo is getting for basic reforms. O'Leary will be hated by many for what he would like to change. Not everyone wants the country run like a successful business ie no waste or slacking

ronnie3585

JohnJoe.

Peregrinus

wordofwarning wrote: »

Michael O'Leary. Although it he is not a politician, he is quite political. The man is always dealing with the EU and politicans ie local airport that Ryanair flies into are generally political hot potatoes.

I don't think he would a popular politician for the working class. He would slash a lot of the waste that they directly enjoy ie the never ending welfare programmes that allow some of them not to work in their lifetime. I don't think a lot of people would like the reform to welfare, education, healthcare etc.

Look at the backlash Leo is getting for basic reforms. O'Leary will be hated by many for what he would like to change. Not everyone wants the country run like a successful business ie no waste or slacking

If we assume that one of the qualities need to be an "ideal Taoiseach" is the ability to secure re-election, then by your account O'Leary could not be an ideal Taoiseach.

Michael O'Leary IS the Irish Version of Donald Trump.

No thanks.

I like living in a socialist country.

Sam Kade

Anyone would be better than the flute we have now.

yeppydeppy

Fergal Quinn

Dubh Geannain

Jon Snow. He'll be able to unite us with the wildlings in the North.

Me?

osarusan

The only way it would 'work' is if we are talking about a dictator rather than a taoiseach who will have an eye on the next election.

techdiver

The Dáil should have term limits. That would remove "some" of the incentives to run the country based on election cycles as opposed to what is actually good for the country.

And don't five me the line about losing experience in the Dáil. Those shower of clowns don't improve with tenure, if anything they become more entrenched and less effective until they sail off into the sunset with their golden pensions.

Benjamin Buttons

xzanti wrote: »

Vincent Brown.

If you promise to take away his nasal hair and return the 'e' to the end of his surname, then yes, good idea!

xzanti

Benjamin Buttons wrote: »

If you promise to return the 'e' to the end of his surname, then yes, good idea!

Done

valoren

You'd need a leader to actually have some diplomacy skills.

To that end, you need a good cop/bad cop partnership.

As Taoiseach, I'd like to see Daniel O'Donnell.
"Oh, wee Donald, tis yourself, how are you, are you bein' an oul buachaill dána again?"
"Ah, Teresa, shure aren't ya lookin' well my dear"

But as Minister for Finance it would have to be Michael O'Leary. He is far too abrasive to be Taoiseach.
But he would certainly run a prudent, cost effective portfolio.

Billgirlylegs

NIMAN wrote: »

Unfortunately the likes of Keano or O'Leary would quickly find that you can't run a country like a business or a football club.

Keano can run a football club?

wordofwarning

Deleted User wrote: »

Michael O'Leary IS the Irish Version of Donald Trump.

No thanks.

I like living in a socialist country.

In what way is he like Trump? It is a very bold statement with little supporting evidence

O'Leary is incredible successful (Trump would be would be worth multiplies more if he just invested his money in an index fund). Trump has had failed businesses. Michael O'Leary has developed one of the most successful businesses of all time.

I like living in a socialist country too. I don't like living in a country where a sizeable minority contribute nothing to society paid for by the majority. There is nothing wrong with calling out the massive amount of people in this country who 'don't want to work'.

Ush1

O'Leary is nothing what so ever like Trump.

LollipopJimmy

Billgirlylegs wrote: »

Keano can run a football club?

Indeed he can.

Right into the ground if you give him 9 months or so

mosesgun

Christy Moore would do a solid job for us. He could deliver budgets and bad news through the medium of song. We'd accept any auld ****e if the song was good enough.

branie2

Liam Neeson

Keane would be a more a finance minister than a taoiseach. He could tell people looking for money to get lost. Although after Saipan he wouldn't be able to argue against appropriate spending to do the job right.

Comhrá

Not sure which person I'd like to be Taoiseach but I certainly don't want some multi-billionaire assuming they know what's best for the ordinary working class people and the country at large.

Chips Lovell

O'Leary is very good at saying controversial things in order to get media coverage.

Even he doesn't believe half the stuff he comes out with.

Winterlong

Twink. But lets make her queen.

A Little Pony

Louis Walsh.

A Little Pony

Why does your President have a 7 year stay? What a joke, it should be every 3-4 years.

valoren

A Little Pony wrote: »

Why does your President have a 7 year stay? What a joke, it should be every 3-4 years.

Would be inordinately expensive (elections are pricey) to do it every 3 to 4 years for what is effectively a ceremonial role.

Wardling

Brendan o'carrol

Not a fan of Mrs Brown at all but seen him being interviewed on a few occasions and really talks some sense regarding politics and social opinions. Really seems to care for the people of Ireland too. He'd get my vote

A Little Pony

valoren wrote: »

A Little Pony wrote: »

Why does your President have a 7 year stay? What a joke, it should be every 3-4 years.

Would be inordinately expensive (elections are pricey) to do it every 3 to 4 years for what is effectively a ceremonial role.

It shouldn't be a ceremonial role, should have more power.

donegaLroad

Vincent Brown or Eamon Dunphy

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

I'd have thuough the recent Donald Trump experiement would have proven a Michael O'Leary type entrepuener in a politcial office would be a bad idea once and for all...?

Anyway. Back on topic. Conor McGregor for the crack. Or Niamh Horan - might as well have an all-out tragi-comedy.

Chips Lovell

A Little Pony wrote: »

Why does your President have a 7 year stay? What a joke, it should be every 3-4 years.

If it was every three or four years, we'd run out of suitable candidates in no time. Sure we came very close to having some lad off Dragon's Den last time.

soups05

me, i would rule you like a vengeful god. any dissent would be quashed immediately. the rule of law would be replaced by my fickle whims depending on my mood/top ah thread of the day.

you would all bitch like crazy but secretly love it

CathalDublin

Bono, that guy knows everything.

backspin.

A Little Pony wrote: »

It shouldn't be a ceremonial role, should have more power.

Like the Queen

Sam Kade

Deleted User wrote: »

Keane would be a more a finance minister than a taoiseach. He could tell people looking for money to get lost. Although after Saipan he wouldn't be able to argue against appropriate spending to do the job right.

When things would get tough he would just run away and then start bitching and moaning to anyone that will listen.

After Saipan he's known as Roy Keane the drama queen.

topper75

NIMAN wrote: »

Unfortunately the likes of Keano or O'Leary would quickly find that you can't run a country like a business or a football club.

Boards being anonymous, all I can ever know about you for sure is that your username here is NIMAN and that you work in the public service.

Cutting and questioning unnecessary expenditure whilst unburdening taxpayers is actually possible, IF there is will to do it. As you would in a business for example.

alberto67

Face Kicker should be in charge, without a doubt.

AustinLostin

Francis Brennan would have things in ship shape in no time

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

A Little Pony wrote: »

It shouldn't be a ceremonial role, should have more power.

Parliamentary systems are vastly superior to presidential systems.

maudgonner

alberto67 wrote: »

Face Kicker should be in charge, without a doubt.

Or Trent. Trent would be a great man to put manners on Trump, Putin and the rest. UN summits would be a bloodbath, and Melania wouldn't be able to walk straight for a fortnight.

BailMeOut

A Little Pony wrote: »

Why does your President have a 7 year stay? What a joke, it should be every 3-4 years.

you'd need to go back to 1937 to find out why and sure the folks who drafted the constitution had some reason for it being 7 years.

Is even changing this on any lists for possible constitution changes?

alberto67

maudgonner wrote: »

Or Trent. Trent would be a great man to put manners on Trump, Putin and the rest. UN summits would be a bloodbath, and Melania wouldn't be able to walk straight for a fortnight.

I agree.

Not to forget padraiggg, he must have loved getting 1000s of thanks.