Joan Burton and all that

[liaconn]

Politics is not a meritocracy, it's a dirty business.

No-one has a right to Ministerial portfolio. Any TD should be honoured with the trust placed in them by the Taoiseach and not be showing/expressing dissatisfaction.

That does not make sense. Of course people are going to have expectations based on their previous roles, qualifications etc. Why should someone widely tipped to take a highly prestigious post be 'honoured' to be offered a lesser one?

 

[Firefly]

I don’t like having anyone from Labour in government, let alone in a Finance ministry but if there does have to be one then they should pick the most qualified and experienced person. While I find Joan Burton dishonest in how she presents information and very subjective in order to skew the facts to suit her socialist dogma she’s still by far the best of the labour bunch for the role.

Like you I wouldn't want anyone from Labour near Finance, so isn't it good that their best person for Finance isn't in the Finance ministry?

On a side note; have Labour been handed a poisoned chalice with the Public Sector reform portfolio?
If they make the necessary cuts and reforms they will alienate their new supporters within the public sector. If they don’t make the necessary cuts and changes and play to their supporters they will incur the anger of the wider public. It’s a lose-lose scenario.

All Labour have to do is leave PS reform/cuts alone as much as they can. Their core voters will be happy and will elect them again the next time.

 

[Shawady]

All Labour have to do is leave PS reform/cuts alone as much as they can.

That would have some credibility if the IMF/EU weren't running the show. If it gets to the stage where cuts have to be made, they will be, no matter who is minister.
Same in social welfare. If the IMF think rates have to be cut again, it will happen.

 

[Staples]

The whole thing is a non-issue. All you hope for a politician in government is that they will have an interest and enthusiasm for the brief to which they're appointed and the capacity to grasp and deal with the various issues that come before them.

If the prerequisite for appointment to a ministry was direct expertise, politicans wouldn't be appointed. I doubt if Brendan Howlin's capacity to deal with public expenditure (or any brief) is necessarily worse than Joan Burton's.

 

[Purple]

FG have an economist who studied Irish national debt and Labour have an accountant who spent 9 years as their finance spokesperson... and neither of them are in Finance.

Reform, what reform?

 

[TarfHead]

Why should someone widely tipped to take a highly prestigious post be 'honoured' to be offered a lesser one?

Then let her resign. Over a principle.

I wonder has 'HarangueGate' damaged her ? Apparently that appearance on #vinb was at the end of a day when she was shown the books by the Department of Finance.

 

[DerKaiser]

FG have an economist who studied Irish national debt and Labour have an accountant who spent 9 years as their finance spokesperson... and neither of them are in Finance.

Reform, what reform?

I'd agree that Richard Bruton should get a look in on finance, hopefully if Enda is the good captain they say he is, he'll utilise all the skills at his disposal across the board.

From experience though, I don't think being an accountant (Joan Burton) qualifies anyone for what is required from a finance minister.

Quinn and Howlin are very solid and have that bit of experience. Frankly I feel reassured to see them in as they always speak common sense as opposed to Joan, who does not. Common sense goes a long way further than accounting skills in my opinion.

 

[Staples]

Common sense goes a long way further than accounting skills in my opinion.

Exactly. An ability to listen and make sense of the arguments presented is much more valuable than a half-baked knowledge of economics (or whatever) garnered from the bluffer's guide.

Ministers don't fail from lack of advice, just the inability to act on it and be brave where necessery.

There is no shortage of good advisory bodies acting in the public interest but when they go unheard they become known as quangos and everybody wants them closed.