Cullen - next ministry?

fricatus

What department will Cullen likely head up now?

Or will he be dropped because the D4 media don't like him, while Waterford rolls over and goes back to sleep?

Junior

I think he'll get a good portfolio - although I wouldn't think it would be the poisoned chalice that is health..

flamegrill

Junior,

Your sig is in violation of boards.ie signature rules. Please make it comply or the admins may simply remove it altogether.

Paul

Dilbert75

fricatus wrote:

What department will Cullen likely head up now?

Foggy weather, at most I hope. Wouldn't trust him with anything else. Really can't stand the man.

mike65

Anyway back on topic!

Cullen will almost certainly get reshuffled which would be a pity, dispite all the flack he gets not much of it had anything to do with the business of transport. There's a huge programme in train and it might be wiser to leave it with someone who's familair with it.

Mike.

Trotter

I think it will depend on who FF go into coallition with. If its with Mary Harney and the Indos.. He'll hang on to transport.

If not..and Labour arrive.. I suspect the D4 gang will flick us (Cullen and Waterford people) off the cabinet table like an annoying snot.

(Sorry for being graphic but given the coverage by the D4 "national" media, of Waterford, Waterford's issues, and Waterford's cabinet representative, thats what I think they consider us to be.)

Trotter

Dilbert75 wrote:

Foggy weather, at most I hope. Wouldn't trust him with anything else. Really can't stand the man.

Dilbert I dont care if you're the minister once Waterford keeps a spot at cabinet.

jhegarty

The Ministry of Silly Walks

Trotter

This thread is going to attract the usual Cullen beaters who KNOW he's useless cause thats what they heard on the TV or from some other expert on boards.

I'd say this one will keep flamegrill busy if its to stay on topic and BS free.

Dilbert75

Well that won't include me. I've formed my own opinion from watching him and listening to him waffle on about everything and nothing, talking about what he plans to do and little about what he's actually completed. For example, as Ministers for Environment and Transport he has had years to do something about driving standards in this country and has actually achieved sod all. He can't even maintain eye-contact and just gives the vibe of being a weasel who can talk the talk.

Trotter

Dilbert75 wrote:

For example, as Ministers for Environment and Transport he has had years to do something about driving standards in this country

I'll give ya that.

Interesting to see Bertie advocating Electronic Voting last night.. I didnt hear him saying that when Cullen was being slated for it and it wasnt even Cullen's idea!!

jhegarty

Trotter wrote:

I'll give ya that.

Interesting to see Bertie advocating Electronic Voting last night.. I didnt hear him saying that when Cullen was being slated for it and it wasnt even Cullen's idea!!

To be fair he may be an idiot, but no where near as bad as the press make out... he really has become Bertie's whipping boy....

Of course short of burning down the bridge and WRH he was going to keep his seat....

Trotter

jhegarty wrote:

To be fair he may be an idiot, but no where near as bad as the press make out... he really has become Bertie's whipping boy....

Thats because he stepped on the toes of Bertie's friends when he moved in from the PDs. He's still an outsider in FF according to many within the party.

Aquos76

I spoke with Martin Cullen this afternoon and we actually spoke about his position within the cabinet, he is very confident of holding onto a ministers position in the next dail. His preference would be to stay in transport.

He also acknowleged the wonderfull support that he has got from all Waterford people.

mike65

Mrs Cullen?

Mike.

Aquos76

mike65 wrote:

Mrs Cullen?

Mike.

smart arse as usual mike

fricatus

Aquos76 wrote:

I spoke with Martin Cullen this afternoon and we actually spoke about his position within the cabinet, he is very confident of holding onto a ministers position in the next dail. His preference would be to stay in transport.

In fairness, he topped the poll here in style, and I think it would be an awful insult to Waterford and the SE generally if he were not to get a cabinet portfolio this time around.

I certainly expect to see him as a minister again, and that can only be good for Waterford.

Education? Wouldn't it be great Enterprise, Trade and Employment, ditto.

Probably will be Transport though. Just my personal opinion, not based on any facts or hearsay whatsoever.

randylonghorn

jhegarty wrote:

To be fair he may be an idiot, but no where near as bad as the press make out... he really has become Bertie's whipping boy...

I'd actually agree with that, and I'm far from his biggest fan. I'm not sure he will get Transport back, though, after the two-step himself and Dick Roche danced over the Tara motorway, and I'd faint with shock if he got Education, especially at the moment.

I could see him getting shifted to Defence or something like that, but I would be surprised if he didn't at least get a seat at cabinet.

Sully

Waterford would do well if he got Education :P

teckno

Minister for Sport would be heaven for somebody like myself who is involved in sports clubs. The investment into suck projects as RSC and Carriganore for GAA would be fantastic

Trotter

If he's not in transport, the motorway wont have much weight behind it.. and the contracts for the major sections arent signed yet.

mike65

Deasy actually topped the poll, thanks to Coffeys transfers (buts thats neither here nor there).

Mike.

Trotter

mike65 wrote:

Deasy actually topped the poll, thanks to Coffeys transfers (buts thats neither here nor there).

Mike.

Thats usually counted on first preferences though Mike. If you were to include all the people who voted Cullen as 2nd preference in his numbers as you are with Deasy, he'd have pushed 14000 at a guess.

Deasy did well, no doubt about it, but he didnt top the poll.

Freddie59

Dilbert75 wrote:

For example, as Ministers for Environment and Transport he has had years to do something about driving standards in this country and has actually achieved sod all.

When you say 'driving standards' do you mean the standards of the roads or the standards of the fools who continually flout the speeding lawas while talking on mobiles?

thund3rbird_

Freddie59 wrote:

When you say 'driving standards' do you mean the standards of the roads or the standards of the fools who continually flout the speeding lawas while talking on mobiles?

giving that I'm usually overtaken by at least 10 - 15 vehicles any time I've driven either direction (always within the 60kph limit) between the Ardkeen side of the ORR & the Cork Rd side, I'd be inclined to agree with the "fools" part of your comment.

personally I think a higher limit would be more appropriate but the law's the law

strange that I've NEVER seen any gardai on the ORR operating speed cameras

Dac51

thund3rbird_ wrote:

giving that I'm usually overtaken by at least 10 - 15 vehicles any time I've driven either direction (always within the 60kph limit) between the Ardkeen side of the ORR & the Cork Rd side, I'd be inclined to agree with the "fools" part of your comment.

personally I think a higher limit would be more appropriate but the law's the law

strange that I've NEVER seen any gardai on the ORR operating speed cameras

I often see them on the Butlerstown roundabout (looking down the hill) or on the Six Cross Roads roundabout (looking up the hill). Usually during morning/evening rush hour.

mike65

Easy to hit 50 mph without trying heading downhill along there.

Mike.

Dilbert75

Freddie59 wrote:

When you say 'driving standards' do you mean the standards of the roads or the standards of the fools who continually flout the speeding lawas while talking on mobiles?

The standards of both the roads and the driving which is allowed to persist.

randylonghorn

Sully wrote:

Waterford would do well if he got Education :P

Yes, I know ... so does everyone else ... which is precisely why I said I would be very shocked if they gave it to him.

looksee

I know this won't be a popular idea, but I find the idea of any particular area 'having a minister' very undemocratic. Ministers should be running the country as a whole, not fighting for their own little corner. If an area needs a minister to survive, surely we should have a system where every area has a Minister for Something. Maybe if a TD is made a minister he should become regionally neutral and the next in line automatically voted in as TD for that area? Undoubtedly there are all sorts of reasons why that would not work (FF being the main one), and I am sure they will be pointed out, as well as the extent of my political naivete .

randylonghorn

looksee wrote:

I know this won't be a popular idea, but I find the idea of any particular area 'having a minister' very undemocratic. Ministers should be running the country as a whole, not fighting for their own little corner.

I wouldn't disagree, but ...

looksee wrote:

Maybe if a TD is made a minister he should become regionally neutral and the next in line automatically voted in as TD for that area?

Thus seriously decreasing the original TD's chances of being elected next time, so suddenly nobody wants to be a minister. Only way it might work would be if ministers were automatically returned to the next Dail, as the Ceann Comhairle is under the present arrangement. Then what happens to accountability? ... the minister is appointed again, returned again, appointed again ... that way lies oligarchy!!