Ministers with relevant experience

gotBass

Looking at the current cabinet:
Are there any ministers whose profession before politics lined up with their current portfolio?

McDowell in Justice was the last one I remember.

Should we expect in future to have ministers with relevant experience. Or continue with the current situation.

Dero

It might be more interesting to look historically at ministers whose profession aligned closely with their portfolio and see whether it makes any significant difference in performance. I'm not sure it does.

Also, I think Brian Lenihan is a lawyer too.

P. Breathnach

Dero wrote: »

It might be more interesting to look historically at ministers whose profession aligned closely with their portfolio and see whether it makes any significant difference in performance. I'm not sure it does...

Dermot Ahern in Justice is a solicitor; Mary Hanafin in Education & Science is a teacher (but not a science teacher); Eamon O Cuiv in Gaeltacht etc. is a Gaeilgoir resident in the Gaeltacht.

I think a person's occupational background is indirectly, rather than directly, relevant to the likelihood of doing well in a ministry. The mindset that might suit a person for accountancy might not be very useful for running an operation like the education service.

solice

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Dermot Ahern in Justice is a solicitor; Mary Hanafin in Education & Science is a teacher (but not a science teacher); Eamon O Cuiv in Gaeltacht etc. is a Gaeilgoir resident in the Gaeltacht.

I think a person's occupational background is indirectly, rather than directly, relevant to the likelihood of doing well in a ministry. The mindset that might suit a person for accountancy might not be very useful for running an operation like the education service.

I agree, having an understanding or a competency in a specific dept. would be advantageous but being a good manager is just as relevant, for example, putting a doctor in charge of the HSE would seem like a good idea......:eek:

gotBass

So then the question is if the government was replaced by FG,Labour et al.
who would you like to see in the ministerial roles.

Jason Mc

The lunatics have taken over the asylum


For the country to proseper people the people need to be motivated to be productive with their lives

The country needs to produce quality, low cost goods that we can export. This is the only way to create long term wealth.

I think Gordon Brown has hit on something bringing Alan Sugar in. What will be important will be if he actually listens to what he has to say and doesn't just use it as a exercise in spin

I think the problem is that the politicians are more interested in scoring points with their own parties and with their opposites than actually improving the country. Decades ago the political parties actually promoted different values, and sought to bring about change to the country. The opposition actually offered different opinions, and suggestions on how the country should be run. However nowadays they're more interested in complaining about each others mistakes and covering up their own mishaps. Every time I have heard an interview with someone from FF they have refused to give clear answers in relation to the economic crisis, and pass it off with references to the world economy. Just as when the other parties are queried about their own policies, they focus on what FF/Greens have done wrong, and ignore the actual queries about the realistic application of their suggestions.

Politicians these days are missing something special. A desire to be responsible for the important position of trust that the Irish people have given them. While they might listen to the complaints and moans of discontent by the Irish people on a wide range of subjects, they have consistently shown a lack of desire to actually tackle those problems. Instead they focus on big business, and bureaucracy. The political groups in Ireland have become an old boys club with favors being passed around, and while some new blood gets in, for the most part they're limited in their effectiveness because they need the support of the older groupings to get anything done.

Its like this vote of no confidence that's going to happen. It means nothing. From a practical point, its not going to affect the running of the country, or topple the current government regardless of the way the vote goes. Its a political stunt. And unfortunately this is the way that Irish politics has gone. They're more interested in the game of politics than actually running the country.

Regardless of the experience of the Ministers prior to being elected they're not interested in doing their jobs. They'll pass off decisions to their Junior ministers, or seek approval from their parties before doing anything.

TBH, I'd be more confident if the Ministers would bring in consultants from the major business corporations to run the country, considering the lack of flair and responsibility that most of the ministers have shown in the last 20 years. (I say 20 years, cause I wasn't really aware of the government before then)

(lol, sorry for all the actually's in the post)

Liam Byrne

Dero wrote: »

Also, I think Brian Lenihan is a lawyer too.

:eek: Really ?

At first, I thought you'd just spelt the word phonetically, but he's an actual "lawyer" ??

I thought lawyers always read and re-read stuff that they were given, in order to make sure that they didn't miss something that would bite them in the ass later ?

Dero

Liam Byrne wrote: »

At first, I thought you'd just spelt the word phonetically, but he's an actual "lawyer" ??

Indeed, hence "I think". Had I meant the other one, I would have been certain.

Dr Galen

solice wrote: »

I agree, having an understanding or a competency in a specific dept. would be advantageous but being a good manager is just as relevant, for example, putting a doctor in charge of the HSE would seem like a good idea......:eek:

being in government and being a Minister is like any job really.

take for example in sales. More often than not, it's the best sales persons who gets promoted. That doesn't mean that they have the requisite skills to be the manager/boss though.

I've worked with some nurses, who were fantastic at their job, as nurses. They get promoted, and they are pretty crap at being ward managers, and leave etc. I also know of some nurses who weren't "great" at the nursey stuff, but who made excellent ward managers.

Arsene Wenger was a crap footballer. Alex Ferguson was medicore really. Benitez the same. But excellent managers.......and so on.

There has to be a balance between having the knowledge to relate to a Gov Dept and being able to manage, plan and execute policy. Thats no easy task. If FF remain in power for any length of time, Cowen needs to look outside the familiar faces of cabinet. I've lived down here for 12 years now, and it's been the same faces more or less since then. Surely there has to be some new fresh blood in the ranks.

I heard Enda Kenny on the radio a few weeks ago making an good point I thought, about his ability to lead. He was pointing out that although he wasn't everyones favourite, and how it seems like he doesn't know it all. he has surrounded himself with people who DO know what to do, and his job as leader is to manage them to get things done. Obviously this depends on your political outlook but I think it shows that the Taoiseach shouldn't try to be all things to all men, just good at managing the men (and women) he has working for him