Predictions for Cabinet reshuffle

nhughes100

Comrades,

Your opinions and predictions on the cabinet reshuffle. I think he'll split the two posts. My prediction is Dermot Ahearn for Tanaiste, Michael Martin for Finance. Although I'm curious as to why none of the FF Mary's have been mentioned yet. Both from the North west and although I think Hanafin with her background in education is stable enough, Coughlan has been stirring the past few months. Maybe a promotion on the cards??

Cullen to Whip or some mickey mouse junior minister. Tom Kitt might get something a bit better.

Cowan has a few interesting options. Lenihan could be tanaiste or maybe John Gormley.

Badabing

Martin to be finace minister, Lenihan tanaiste and keep justice, Kitt a straight swap with Brennan, And a cuple of juniors moving around.

turgon

For fear of sounding like an eejit, what happens the bert now?

EamonnKeane

turgon wrote: »

For fear of sounding like an eejit, what happens the bert now?

He'll be a backbencher for the time being ... resign if something better comes up

Denis Irwin

Martin

---

> Finance

Lenihan/Hanafin

---

>Tanaiste(But will keep current portfolio)

Junior Minister promoted to Enterprise Trade and Employment

brettmirl

Does the fact that Brian Lenihan proposed and Mary Coughlan seconded the motion for Cowen's leadership show any hints for future changes?

Denis Irwin

mick_irl wrote: »

Does the fact that Brian Lenihan proposed and Mary Coughlan seconded the motion for Cowen's leadership show any hints for future changes?

I wouldn't imagine so. The expectation is that it's going to be a very minor reshuffle with maybe one or two ministers swapping seats at the cabinet table.Lenihan I don't think will be moved from Justice anyway but will probably become Tanaiste.

Mr.Micro

Ahern had no kitchen sink cabinet, as IMO he was too much of a secretive control type individual. I hope that Mr.Cowan has a more open style accountable Cabinet and not adapt a style like the Drumcondra politburo oft referred to as the Drumcondra Mafia.

Grudaire

Not to mention keeping Health with Harney, and no change with the greens. I can't see Cowen rocking the boat

kizzyr

Cliste wrote: »

Not to mention keeping Health with Harney, and no change with the greens. I can't see Cowen rocking the boat

I think he'd like to keep things pretty much as they are, for the time being at least. However, I don't think Mary Harney will hang around for too much longer. One more health service scandal and without her "friend" Bertie backing her up I think she'll resign.

Sully

Mary Hanafin as Tanaiste? God help us all.

kizzyr

Sully wrote: »

Mary Hanafin as Tanaiste? God help us all.

No one will be allowed to send their kids to school without first having supplied their bank details for the "voluntary" contribution which really is payment for the children's "free" eduction.

turgon

Mary hanifin is probably the most out of touch minister in the whole history of world democracy.

mike65

A ball-breaker is required for Finance, Martin is a milk-sop. Can anyone imagine him telling the public sector to take a hike or slashing department budgets as the money
dries up? The coffers are down 800 million on the same period last year (Jan-March) the cost of paying for unemployed/part-timers etc is going to rise quite significantly through the year.

Mike.

ninty9er

For what it's worth, Coughlan and Cowen get on fairly well, he has no particular afiliation to Micheál Martin and Coughlan would just as soon tell you to fu<k off, as look at you if you came looking for money for something ridiculous. Dermot could be in with a shot or we could get a bit of a shocker from the backbenches.

Bertie for Finance anyone??:D:D

nhughes100

Michael Martin is between a rock and a hard place. The way things are going in Employment he's going to be the bearer of bad news anyway so he may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. It does put him in place for the next leader if FF trends are going to hold up. Maybe Cowan will lose the next election thanks to the impending recession and his gruff attitude, Martin will step into leader of the opposition and become the poster face of FF.

This of course assumes that Enda Kenny is taken out as FG leader.

Grudaire

nhughes100 wrote: »

This of course assumes that Enda Kenny is taken out as FG leader.

Well I can't see him as taoiseach, I don't know if its the lack of policy's or the lack of brown envelopes, but either way FF are sorted with him in!

AngryHippie

Dempsey or Lenihan for Tanaiste,
Hanafin no change,
Coughlan to Finance

I'm happier with Cowen as taoiseach than Bert, But his action whether political theatre or not was the honorable course of action. Enda Kenny has got to go, He refused to make Bert's situation with the tribunal an election issue, and has been trying to wallop him and FF with it ever since, a losing tactic. He would have been better off doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, (using it in the election to best effect, in the honorable cause of having a feasible and strong opposition represented in the Dail) The man I'm watchin out for from now on is Ruari Quinn, Played a blinder on Q&A the other night, smart, shrewd and quite open about his opinions but then again thats one of the main advantages to being in opposition....

nhughes100

Have to admit I'd have more time for Cowan on paper then Bertie. At least he seems like a straight talker as opposed to the incessant waffling we got from Bertie.

Always had a lot of time for Ruairi Quinn, a pity he wasn't in government more often.

meathstevie

Harney deserves a boot up her backside for gross incompetence and as a thank you for the piping up from that chewing gum obsessed dimwit from Blackrock about the Bertie fella. Electorally the PD's would nearly bring in less votes nationally than what you need to get elected to Leitrim County Council.

kenco

Martin to Finance
Coughlan to Enterprise
Lenihan for Tanaiste
O'Keefe and Kitt to enter government, Brennan to leave

is_that_so

I am hopeful that he's wised up to the fact that Dempsey is pretty talentless and leaves him to mind the "buses in Dublin". In fact this is what ails FF at senior level IMO. Apart from Coughlan, Hanafin and maybe Lenihan the rest of them are questionable at best. I am not a fan of Martin who I find is an abolute windbag but FF love him.

The talent such as it is, seem to be on the backbenches and we may see some shufflling of Junior Ministries.

Moves

Dermot Ahern -> Tanaiste and stay in FA
Martin -> Finance (God help us)
Coughlan ->Trade & Employment
AN Other ->Agriculture(Could be a Junior)

I think Hanafin will stay put. It's a handy number and she just loves the teachers.

brettmirl

Is there any word on if our new Supreme Leader will anounce his new cabinet line-up tomorrow or will we have to wait a while longer?

nhughes100

I'd say he'll waste no time, he's had a month to think about it, Cowan will hit the ground running I think.

nhughes100

Mmmm seems Seamus Brennan has stepped down for health reasons, I wonder will B Flynn be getting a call now for Arts, Sports and tourism.

What a gaff by that dope Conor Lenihan at the weekend. Oh I'll have to wait and talk to the new minister for Enterprise and Employment whoever that may be. Seriously how does this guy get elected and get promoted to a junior minister?

Dr Galen

while I'm no FF fan, I've had dealings with Brian Lenihan a few times and found up straight up with no messing, approachable and apparently competant. I'd be happy for him to get Tanaiste.

Hanafin appears to be a dope, though at least she gets marks for effort, schools in this country need a radical overhaul, and I wouldn't be too sure if she's the one to do that.

As for Harney, maybe its a case of better the devil, if she was to go, who seriously could step in and force through the reforms that are sooooo badly needed.( I say this as someone working in the health service too). My problems are mainly with the bureaucrats in the HSE and they're going to be there no matter what happens! No one really comes to mind.....

There really does appear to be a lack of recognisable talent in FF, no young pups coming through like Varadkar for FG for example. Mayb Cowen will allow a more open style of management, bringing some of those types in FF to the fore. Its been the same old faces for donkeys years now.

Bards

Here's one out of left field. Cullen for Finance as he has the balls to tell public sector unions where to go, and was seen leaving Brian Cowen's office last night.

ninty9er

nhughes100 wrote: »

What a gaff by that dope Conor Lenihan at the weekend. Oh I'll have to wait and talk to the new minister for Enterprise and Employment whoever that may be.

And the problem with that is??

nhughes100

Eh what new minister for Enterprise and Employment? I believe there has been no reshuffle as of time of posting? You'd want to take off them FF tinted glasses where FF members can be seen doing no wrong.

kerry4sam

mick_irl wrote: »

Is there any word on if our new Supreme Leader will anounce his new cabinet line-up tomorrow or will we have to wait a while longer?

It will be announced today around 6pm ... currently en route to Aras to receive seal of office of Taoiseach

kenco

nhughes100 wrote: »

Mmmm seems Seamus Brennan has stepped down for health reasons, I wonder will B Flynn be getting a call now for Arts, Sports and tourism.

What a gaff by that dope Conor Lenihan at the weekend. Oh I'll have to wait and talk to the new minister for Enterprise and Employment whoever that may be. Seriously how does this guy get elected and get promoted to a junior minister?

Two chances! Apparently Cowan was none to happy that Bertie arranged her return to FF as one of the last things he did in power. I think she is going to languish on the back benches were she belongs imo.

RTE coverage speculating that Dempsey looks a very happy camper while O'Cuiv and Cullen look decidedly unhappy. RTE seem to being calling it as Dempsey to Finance, Lenihan Tanaiste and Smith, Carey and O'Keefe joining cabinet.

Lets wait and see