Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Most competent minister

Options
2»

Comments

  • Options
    #32
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    MontgomeryClift wrote:
    McCreevy's right-wing, tax-slashing, price-rising, competitiveness-sapping policies were so unpopular he even had to leave the country.

    Good one. :D

    Tongue very firmly in cheek?


  • Options
    #33
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    MontgomeryClift wrote:
    Noel Dempsey at least follows though on a plan.

    Hanafin? The Minister for Portocabin Education? She's released another pack of lies about school buildings and extensions in preparation for the election.

    Lordy, Hanafin is so much more competent than that fool who was there before her, Dempsey. Most of the schools underprovisioning in the Pale was obvious on his watch after census 2002 .

    Cowan and Dermot Ahern impress too , Mary Coughlan and Seamus Brennan and Eamonn O Cuiv and Willie O Dea and M Martin are the next tier for various reasons but only the top tier could run a country .

    FF also has a few OK backbenchers who should be minister.


  • Options
    #34
    MontgomeryClift
    Registered Users Posts: 1,060 ✭✭✭MontgomeryClift


    When Charlie McCreevy began as finance minister real GDP growth was 10.5%. This was the trend during the mid-90s. When he left in 2004 real GDP was at 5%.

    Inflation in 1997 was very steady at under 1.5%. In 2000 it rose to 5.5%, and was only brought under control, by a slump, to 2% in 2004. It has since risen to 4.5% and holds precariously at 4%.

    Even unemployment in this underpopulated country rose slightly in McCreevy's last two years as finance minister. His record is very poor.


  • Options
    #35
    FlutterinBantam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,575 ✭✭✭✭FlutterinBantam


    What really matters is the Ministry the incumbents have.

    Some are much more difficult than others and bearing this in mind I would give my vote to Dermot Ahearne-never puts a foot wrong,always seems to take the right option,is not testy in relations to the media,seems to get on with all comers,is very well briefed on all matters.

    Some observations... Hannafin , Mary Robinsons clone,down to the clipped staccato speech.Ever listen to her being interviewed on Morning Ireland?

    Martin, a hero for putting through the smoking issue...downhill since
    Dempsey..balls there,faced up to the shell for sea crowd.
    Dick Roche.. Mister waffle,oily,unctious, ugh.. but knows his job
    Cullen, expansive ,waffler, uses the office for his own furtherance
    Brennan...good midfielder ..does the unsung things well
    Cowan... good man to have on your side.. goes ferral now and again
    Pat the Cope.. chickened out when the fisheries stuff got too hot
    Coughlan... has run out of options.. will have to take the unpopular stand soon.
    O'dea.. Does exactly what it says on the tin
    O'donoghue...hard not to do well in that ministery,but is competent

    Thats it for the mom


  • Options
    #36
    silverharp
    Registered Users Posts: 18,363 ✭✭✭✭silverharp


    I have been impressed by any of the ministers involved with the peace talks, but when it comes to running the economy they are no better then some pen pushers, very little vision, no backbone when dealing with the vested interests in this country. going back in time, Sean Lemass I guess

    A belief in gender identity involves a level of faith as there is nothing tangible to prove its existence which, as something divorced from the physical body, is similar to the idea of a soul. - Colette Colfer



  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #37
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 39,765 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    What about Coughlan, the Minister for liquid & creamery milk? :D
    walrusgumble wrote:
    i have respect for maccreavy hopefully he will come back from europe.
    ninty9er wrote:
    The man is one of the main reasons I joined. Great respect for him, but I cornered him on returning to Irish politicss and unfortunately he's not
    Charlie? The minister who upped VRT just before heading off to Europe to look after the internal market?


  • Options
    #38
    ninty9er
    Registered Users Posts: 9,366 ✭✭✭ninty9er


    Thing about Charlie is that he will stand by his decisions, is not afraid of changing his mind down the line and is straight talking.

    IIRC he didn't raise VRT he reallocated 1901 to 2000 cc from 25% to 30% different fish of kettles. If you want to have this argument with the kind person who was complaining about inflation above I'm sure he's all in favour of this tax. I don't necessarily consider it a tax in the correct manner and in prionciple am against it,l but in practice one of the main economic inflators in this country is our new car sales.

    You may notice that Finland is almost 30% more expensive than Ireland for the average small saloon and they don't even have the RHD excuse.

    You may also notice that the Swedish pay 57% PAYE equivalent, and that the French have one of the most unstable labour markets in the EU15 along with Italy.

    The big German giant is coming out of recession while we haven't hit one in almost 20 years.

    See a theme


    Back OT - TK Whittaker is the best minister there never was, While O'Malley and Lemass are to be commended for their contribution to Education. Lemass by making it clear to Dev that Education was actually important and O'Malley for making it free.

    Fitzgerald was on par with Bertie for diplomacy, but Bruton was just brutal.


Advertisement