Roisin Shortall resigns as junior minister

Dave!

http://www.thejournal.ie/roisin-shortall-resigns-611424-Sep2012/

RÓISÍN SHORTALL HAS resigned as Minister of State for Primary Care, RTÉ reports.

The Labour Party TD’s decision follows a much-publicised dispute with the Health Minister James Reilly. She has also resigned the Labour Party whip.

In a statement, reported by RTÉ News, Shortall blamed her resignation on a “lack of support for the reforms in the Programme for Government, and the values which underpin it”.

Looks like the senior minister won that one... Pretty significant casualty for the government though. Will this mean the two parties will be at each other's throats less (given that one of the main antagonists has resigned), or will Labour go on the defensive now?

wp_rathead

Shortall not in for long haul
:pac:

was inevitable really

Dave!

wprathead wrote: »

Shortall not in for long haul
:pac:

was inevitable really

God that's good...


Reilly and Shortall had a meeting today or yesterday didn't they?

wp_rathead

late last night I believe

woodoo

She was left hung out to dry by her colleagues, especially by Minister Quinn who really backed Reilly to the hilt in that TV interview.

I think Shortall was trying to bring in changes.

lac007

Id say alot of drinkers will be happy to hear that.:D

Shea O'Meara

The first of many I hope. Labour need to stick to party ideals and not the ego or power hunger of the current leadership which got them into bed with Fine Gael in the first place.
Labour should have stayed in opposition.

Sponge Bob

She resigned the Labour whip too, thats 2 of them so far.

Move over in the bed there Ming! (He's talking about the Magdalene Laundries right now. )

Dymo

I wasn't a fan of her introducing minimum prices for alcohol so I won't miss her, agreed with her on the Reilly thing but glad she's gone.

Tin Foil Hat

I'm glad to see her gone. I have no time for uber-nanny-state types like her.

It has to be said though - she was 100% in the right in her spat with James O'Reilly. He has the appearance and manners of a badly shaved bear. One of them had to go, and Kenny was never going ask Reilly to stand down. And when you've got a careerist, two faced worm like Gilmore to stand up for you, then you have no-one.

efb

The Fat Controller remains...

charlemont

Glad to see she had to the courage to stick to her guns and not be pushed around, Her resignation will likely cause trauma in the coalition.

Dave!

RTÉ are quoting Minister Reilly, in response to Roisin Shortall's resignation, as saying "I've had my fun, that's all that matters."

Sponge Bob

Nice. The Finglas No To Cuts Party is born.

Bullseye1

She won't be missed.

Skid

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Remember that Róisín was a Junior minister on c.€131k a year this morning.

This evening she is on a TDs salary of €92k and a €41k a year party leaders allowance for a grand total of c.€133k.

Nice. The Finglas No To Cuts Party is born.

I thought you only got the Leaders Allowance if you were elected as an Independent (and not if you resigned from a Party mid-term?).

Boulevardier

"She won't be missed."

You may be a bit off there.

steddyeddy

Dave! wrote: »

RTÉ are quoting Minister Reilly, in response to Roisin Shortall's resignation, as saying "I've had my fun, that's all that matters."

"Roisin If you ever say that to me again Ill put your head through the wall"!

eire_wolvesfc

Dave! wrote: »

RTÉ are quoting Minister Reilly, in response to Roisin Shortall's resignation, as saying "I've had my fun, that's all that matters."

Superb pic, always thought he reminded me of someone but couldn't place it!

ArtSmart

Boulevardier wrote: »

"She won't be missed."

You may be a bit off there.

+1

Reilly essentially sacks the HSE then engages in stroke politics.

this wont go well. might be a while, but its-a-coming.

Dave!

eire_wolvesfc wrote: »

Superb pic, always thought he reminded me of someone but couldn't place it!

Reilly, Brendan Grace and Jim McCann were separated at birth



But back on topic...

woodoo

lac007 wrote: »

Id say alot of drinkers will be happy to hear that.:D

Maybe thats why they let her walk the plank

Sponge Bob

Skid wrote: »

I thought you only got the Leaders Allowance if you were elected as an Independent (and not if you resigned from a Party mid-term?).

You may well be right Skid I will amend that post. From!

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0107/flynnb.html

Was James Reilly right in what he did? I'm still unsure of this. Was Roisin simply overruled in the name of constituency politics or was her list simply a load of crap?

dublinman1990

I was surprised that I heard the story on RTE News a short while ago.

I thought she was a very capable Junior Minister Who would you think will be a credible candidate to replace her now?

Skid

Enda Kenny looked shocked on the RTE News. James Reilly must be seriously wounded now, the opposition would not have dreamed they would have inflicted so much damage when they put down the No Confidence motion in him.

dvpower

If she couldn't get through a row over some names being added to a list for possible new primary health care centres, she was never going to last when asked to stand over really tough decisions down the line.

Shame 'tho.

Cuttlefish

Bullseye1 wrote: »

She won't be missed.

Bit harsh, she was undermined by Reilly and felt her situation was untenable and it seems she had little backing

Cuttlefish

At least she has principles, her career has paid the price but she has shown that she will stand by her beliefs unlike other Labour TD's and Senators who have Jim Larkin turning in his grave!

Mr.Micro

Cuttlefish wrote: »

At least she has principles,

Yes indeed, not like the last lot who stuck together to keep their jobs while the country sank. Nice to see a politician with principles.

Dirk Gently

Labour seemed very willing to let her walk the plank. She had very little option in the end.

Dr Galen

While some of the posts here have been genuinely funny, lets try get things back on topic.

I do think a Brendan Grace/James O'Reilly themed thread would do very well in the Cafe though

Cheers

DrG

bleg

dvpower wrote: »

If she couldn't get through a row over some names being added to a list for possible new primary health care centres, she was never going to last when asked to stand over really tough decisions down the line.

Except that's not really the case. She resigned because the government weren't sticking to the programme for government which was brought to a head by the Minister for Health planting two primary care centres in his back yard. I think it was that hypocrisy (everybody must face tough decisions except the people voting for James Reilly) that forced her to resign.

dvpower

bleg wrote: »

Except that's not really the case. She resigned because the government weren't sticking to the programme for government which was brought to a head by the Minister for Health planting two primary care centres in his back yard. I think it was that hypocrisy (everybody must face tough decisions except the people voting for James Reilly) that forced her to resign.

Nobody forced her to resign - she made that decision herself.

She lost one battle (I think she was right btw and Reilly was wrong) and decided to throw her toys out of the pram - she couldn't even get the backing of her own party. She wouldn't have lasted the full term.

Cuttlefish

Mr.Micro wrote: »

Yes indeed, not like the last lot who stuck together to keep their jobs while the country sank. Nice to see a politician with principles.

Few and far between are true politicians.

Labour have really left their grass roots supporters down and they will pay the price.

jupiterjack

Well done Roisin Shorthall another Labour Minister with balls...

Side Show Bob

Cuttlefish wrote: »

Few and far between are true politicians.

Labour have really left their grass roots supporters down and they will pay the price.

No they won't, not now, it will take an election, she was sacrificed by her party for the price of power, just like the Greens did it,

Cuttlefish

Side Show Bob wrote: »

No they won't, not now, it will take an election, she was sacrificed by her party for the price of power, just like the Greens did it,

Thats what I meant, next local elections and then the next General election Labour will realize that their desire for power and all the "trappings" will distance them from their true supporters.

They have bowed to Fine Gael and to the troika.

Look at your pay packet

Side Show Bob

Cuttlefish wrote: »

Thats what I meant, next local elections and then the next General election Labour will realize that their desire for power and all the "trappings" will distance them from their true supporters.

They have bowed to Fine Gael and to the troika.

Look at your pay packet

Local elections dont mean $hit!

Cuttlefish

Side Show Bob wrote: »

Local elections dont mean $hit!

Maybe so BUT they are a true reflection of the feeling of the public and will be monitored closely by all parties

Hotblack Desiato

Cuttlefish wrote: »

Labour have really left their grass roots supporters down and they will pay the price.

So after Labour made unrealistic promises last election and 'let their voters down', they'll move to SF or ULA next time, get another bunch of equally stupid promises which can't be implemented either as SF & ULA if they ever do get into power will soon realise there is no magic money tree growing in Leinster House.

I'd rather Gilmore had shown some thought, and leadership, in the last election and clamped down hard on the silly promises e.g. no college fees, Labour's Way, etc. and at least made some sort of effort to prepare people for the idea that the election alone wasn't going to solve the country's problems.

But, given that Labour did make lots of unrealistic promises, I'd rather they break them than try to keep them when we simply can't afford it.

Hotblack Desiato

Cuttlefish wrote: »

They have bowed to Fine Gael and to the troika.

So what's the alternative and how are we going to pay for it?

Cuttlefish

ninja900 wrote: »

So after Labour made unrealistic promises last election and 'let their voters down', they'll move to SF or ULA next time, get another bunch of equally stupid promises which can't be implemented either as SF & ULA if they ever do get into power will soon realise there is no magic money tree growing in Leinster House.

I'd rather Gilmore had shown some thought, and leadership, in the last election and clamped down hard on the silly promises e.g. no college fees, Labour's Way, etc. and at least made some sort of effort to prepare people for the idea that the election alone wasn't going to solve the country's problems.

But, given that Labour did make lots of unrealistic promises, I'd rather they break them than try to keep them when we simply can't afford it.

Fair points made and I can see where you are coming from.

There is a magic tree growing in Leinster house - it's funds the TD's fees LOL!

Don't forget people voted Fine Gael and Labour coz of stupid decisions and empty promises by FF and the GREENS.

People are being driven to LEFT wing politics because they see that Labour themselves have positioned themselves more centre-left, they have abandoned their core values IMO.


BUT...
to lie like Quinn did in relation to College fees.
to see little progress on the debt restructuring
to see nothing happening with regards to the "elephant in the room" that is Croke Part agreement
to see misery upon misery heaped upon the ordinary folk

Cuttlefish

ninja900 wrote: »

So what's the alternative and how are we going to pay for it?

You tell me

Side Show Bob

Cuttlefish wrote: »

Fair points made and I can see where you are coming from.

There is a magic tree growing in Leinster house - it's funds the TD's fees LOL!

Don't forget people voted Fine Gael and Labour coz of stupid decisions and empty promises by FF and the GREENS.

People are being driven to LEFT wing politics because they see that Labour themselves have positioned themselves more centre-left, they have abandoned their core values IMO.


BUT...
to lie like Quinn did in relation to College fees.
to see little progress on the debt restructuring
to see nothing happening with regards to the "elephant in the room" that is Croke Part agreement
to see misery upon misery heaped upon the ordinary folk

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2011/02/23/gilmore-for-taoiseach-mug/

Hotblack Desiato

Cuttlefish wrote: »

Don't forget people voted Fine Gael and Labour coz of stupid decisions and empty promises by FF and the GREENS.

Yeah but just voting for 'the other crowd' and expecting the state of the country to magically change overnight is unrealistic.

It's going to take years to get the country out of the hole.

to see nothing happening with regards to the "elephant in the room" that is Croke Part agreement

So now Labour voters want CPA done away with?!?

to see misery upon misery heaped upon the ordinary folk

That's like the 'tax the rich' blather RBB comes out with. It's a fantasy.

Let's say you want to raise a billion extra in taxes.

You could try and find 1000 millionaires, and hit them for a million each. Happy days, right? Except they'd either emigrate, or move their assets offshore, or just employ accountants to avoid their tax liability. It's like the 95% tax in the UK in the 1960s, only a fool would have paid it

Or, you could find 2 million middle income people and hit them for 500 a year each. They're on PAYE and can't evade it, have jobs and mortgages and kids here and can't swan off to Monaco.

It's not necessarily right, but that's the way it is.

Cuttlefish

Side Show Bob wrote: »

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2011/02/23/gilmore-for-taoiseach-mug/

Cuttlefish

ninja900 wrote: »

Yeah but just voting for 'the other crowd' and expecting the state of the country to magically change overnight is unrealistic.

It's going to take years to get the country out of the hole.



Or, you could find 2 million middle income people and hit them for 500 a year each. They're on PAYE and can't evade it, have jobs and mortgages and kids here and can't swan off to Monaco.

It's not necessarily right, but that's the way it is.

Will we ever get out of this "hole" - probably take a generation or two

And as you point out yourself make the PAYE worker pay for the sins of the property developers and politicians who can swan off to America to play golf and fund art galleries, Ouch my back is sore.

And to your first point...


football chant - "Are you Fianna Fail in disguise!!" Let's face it thats way Fine Gael are.

Cuttlefish

Back to the resignation - more will follow!

dvpower

Cuttlefish wrote: »

Back to the resignation - more will follow!

Who? And when?

racso1975

Every suggestion that she made regarding alcohol have been published time and time again by task forces set up to deal with the alcohol problem in this country! No other minister had the balls to implement these recommendations. She was finally going to do something.

I personally view this as a huge loss particularly from a social perspective.