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So do we need a Brexit Minister?

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  • 24-01-2017 3:22pm
    #1
    Jimmy Garlic
    Registered Users Posts: 4,349 ✭✭✭


    Eh, no we don't, isn't that what the minister for foreign affairs is for? Apparently Kenny is going to be asked this question today..

    http://www.thejournal.ie/leaders-questions-15-3202325-Jan2017/

    I wonder what his answer will be? It wouldn't surprise me at all if he thinks we do need one. Any old excuse. Another Minister with all the extra cash, perks, pension, and small army of advisors that comes with the job.


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    #2
    ArmaniJeanss
    Registered Users Posts: 13,291 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    Jimmy Garlic wrote: »
    Eh, no we don't, isn't that what the minister for foreign affairs is for? Apparently Kenny is going to be asked this question today..

    http://www.thejournal.ie/leaders-questions-15-3202325-Jan2017/

    I wonder what his answer will be? It wouldn't surprise me at all if he thinks we do need one. Any old excuse. Another Minister with all the extra cash, perks, pension, and small army of advisors that comes with the job.

    There can't be any more senior minsters appointed than the 15 there already are. Constitution innit.


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    #3
    jimmycrackcorm
    Registered Users Posts: 14,329 ✭✭✭✭jimmycrackcorm


    ArmaniJeanss wrote: »
    There can't be any more senior minsters appointed than the 15 there already are. Constitution innit.

    Just take an existing minister and add an "for Brexit" to the title.
    I'm not sure though what a Brexit minister would specifically do and why individual ministers don't have responsibility for Brexit relevant in their own particular departments.


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    #4
    FreudianSlippers
    Registered Users Posts: 20,397 ✭✭✭✭FreudianSlippers


    I think we do. Kenny seems to be taking this easy like Sunday morning whilst everything is going on around him. This really reminds me of the Lehman crash and the economic disaster occurring whilst the Irish government did nothing.


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    #5
    Phoebas
    Registered Users Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭Phoebas


    We already have a Minister for European Affairs. Wouldn't he be the de facto Brexit Minister?


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    #6
    FreudianSlippers
    Registered Users Posts: 20,397 ✭✭✭✭FreudianSlippers


    Phoebas wrote: »
    We already have a Minister for European Affairs. Wouldn't he be the de facto Brexit Minister?
    AFAIK that's a very junior ministerial position and not part of cabinet; I'd presume that if this was to be the case, we'd want them to be more central in terms of policy etc.


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  • Options
    #7
    Phoebas
    Registered Users Posts: 9,370 ✭✭✭Phoebas


    FreudianSlippers wrote: »
    AFAIK that's a very junior ministerial position and not part of cabinet; I'd presume that if this was to be the case, we'd want them to be more central in terms of policy etc.
    I think that's right - he's a Junior Minister.

    The current title of the job is "Minister of State for European Affairs, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection" which seems like a whatever your having yourself job.
    We should have a senior dedicated minister in charge of European Affairs who would sit at cabinet and be the central person in charge of brexit related matters.

    It probably wouldn't be Dara Murphy.


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    #8
    Sierra Oscar
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 8,458 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sierra Oscar


    FreudianSlippers wrote: »
    AFAIK that's a very junior ministerial position and not part of cabinet; I'd presume that if this was to be the case, we'd want them to be more central in terms of policy etc.

    I'd be comfortable if they appointed a Super-Junior Minister with direct responsibility for managing our side of the negotiations. The Minister for Foreign Affairs is pretty busy dealing with international issues, he wouldn't be able to solely focus on Brexit. That Department will be even more busy in the months ahead given the turmoil that is about to engulf the world (we ain't seen anything yet folks!).

    I'd sack Dara Murphy and replace his position with a Brexit Minister.


  • Options
    #9
    Rightwing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,101 ✭✭✭Rightwing


    FF want a Brexit minister. Appeals to those with little understanding of a situation. Spin from Martin.

    This requires a whole Govt approach.

    What exactly would that minister do? Clue:

    F**k all.


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    #10
    FreudianSlippers
    Registered Users Posts: 20,397 ✭✭✭✭FreudianSlippers


    Rightwing wrote: »
    FF want a Brexit minister. Appeals to those with little understanding of a situation. Spin from Martin.

    This requires a whole Govt approach.

    What exactly would that minister do? Clue:

    F**k all.
    Well, they'd be a member of cabinet, which is how this government has worked for the past 80 years.


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    #11
    Rightwing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,101 ✭✭✭Rightwing


    FreudianSlippers wrote: »
    Well, they'd be a member of cabinet, which is how this government has worked for the past 80 years.

    That's what they'd be, but what would he/she do? Ask M Martin I suppose.


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    #12
    FreudianSlippers
    Registered Users Posts: 20,397 ✭✭✭✭FreudianSlippers


    Rightwing wrote: »
    That's what they'd be, but what would he/she do? Ask M Martin I suppose.
    There is a hell of a lot to do; rather than allowing each Minister to go and pre-negotiate positions with relation to their department, there would be a coordinated approach, or at very least once Minister with the road map.


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    #13
    Rightwing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,101 ✭✭✭Rightwing


    FreudianSlippers wrote: »
    There is a hell of a lot to do; rather than allowing each Minister to go and pre-negotiate positions with relation to their department, there would be a coordinated approach, or at very least once Minister with the road map.

    That's wishy washy.

    I haven't seen a coherent argument from anyone in favour of a brexit minister apart from using buzzwords like 'road maps'.


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    #14
    FreudianSlippers
    Registered Users Posts: 20,397 ✭✭✭✭FreudianSlippers


    Rightwing wrote: »
    That's wishy washy.

    I haven't seen a coherent argument from anyone in favour of a brexit minister apart from using buzzwords like 'road maps'.
    Likewise, I haven't seen a coherent argument against.

    I think the Government should have a coherent and clear picture of how they intend to pursue Irish interests prior to the negotiation between the 27 and the UK. That involves knowing what we want now and negotiating with the UK now as a sovereign nation to ensure that the positions envisaged in the 1920s up to joining the EU remain in place in one way or another.

    Unlike every other EU Member State, we are uniquely impacted by Brexit, I do not believe in any way that each individual Minister is capable or prepared to enter into these pre-negotiations with the British Government in any coherent or strategic manner.


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    #15
    Rightwing
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,101 ✭✭✭Rightwing


    FreudianSlippers wrote: »
    Likewise, I haven't seen a coherent argument against.

    I think the Government should have a coherent and clear picture of how they intend to pursue Irish interests prior to the negotiation between the 27 and the UK. That involves knowing what we want now and negotiating with the UK now as a sovereign nation to ensure that the positions envisaged in the 1920s up to joining the EU remain in place in one way or another.

    Unlike every other EU Member State, we are uniquely impacted by Brexit, I do not believe in any way that each individual Minister is capable or prepared to enter into these pre-negotiations with the British Government in any coherent or strategic manner.

    Yes, but it's 1 thing knowing what you want, and another getting it. Spain have a list too. NL too. Fr too. This is the problem. Most of this is out of our hands. We can just hope that commonsense prevails. Only benefit of a minister I can see is it may give hope to those who are ignorant of the situation, 'ah well, at least we have a brexit minister to deal with this now' type thinking.


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    #16
    Riskymove
    Registered Users Posts: 10,885 ✭✭✭✭Riskymove


    Jimmy Garlic wrote: »
    Eh, no we don't, isn't that what the minister for foreign affairs is for? Apparently Kenny is going to be asked this question today..

    http://www.thejournal.ie/leaders-questions-15-3202325-Jan2017/

    I wonder what his answer will be? It wouldn't surprise me at all if he thinks we do need one. Any old excuse. Another Minister with all the extra cash, perks, pension, and small army of advisors that comes with the job.

    He can't have another Cabinet Minister, he is limited to current number under the Constitution

    I don't agree that the Minister for Foreign Affairs is the obvious Brexit Minister. While DFA might lead on the negotiations, the impacts of Brexit will be felt in Ireland not just in Brussels - someone should be leading, full time on coordinating the work across all Departments on how they are going to mitigate the impacts and avail of opportunities.

    the Taoiseach is too busy to focus on it solely


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