Bums on Executive seats
There is increasing speculation that the four Executive Party leaders will meet to agree the departments each will take, making the later nominations a formality. Hain has indicated he will allow preparatory briefings of the notional ministers. Martina Purdy gives her form guide to who may be included. Interestingly, there may be four female ministers in the full 14 member Executive with Foster, Ritchie and Ruane tipped for full ministries and a possible junior ministry for Martina Anderson. All of them potentially benefitting from their parties planning for the next Westminster election. Possibly of note, is in this most recent speculation Michelle Gildernew doesn’t merit a mention.
I wonder if any of them will have any knowledge of the ministry they are in charge of?
What is more important the next Westminster election or ability to do the job or even real interest in the Department?
This George Dawson, who I have seen talking on TV, seems very bright. Surely a rising star in the DUP?
George Dawson has been mentioned quite a bit as a possible Minister for the DUP but I doubt whether any of the top dogs would give way for Dawson. There is no doubt that Dawson would be among the most capable and articulate within the party.
Word has it that Gildernew’s election gaffs have pushed her out into the cold.
George Dawson hasn’t been well recently and that might mean he misses out.
Dawson for DETI Minister would be an inspired choice. Although I have a sneaking suspicion John O’Dowd might end up with that brief. Presumably the Shinners will be angling to get Ruane in as Culture Minister – be afriad, be very afraid!
Cant believe how afraid the DUP are running and how controlling they are allowed to be in this.
It seems not only are they running d’hondt basically in private but are also making attempts to make consensus decisions on the way forward for each ministry……so they dont get embarrassed early on in the executives life.
I suppose we should be grateful as to the extent they are now prepared to negotiate with Sinn Fein to the point of consensus decisions…but their motives seem suspect.
Health is one of the toughest jobs in the Executive and may prove unattractive once again. “It’s a bed of nails,” said Mr Feeney.
Surely between all the parties in NI they can find at least one ‘fakir’ to take up Mr Feeney’s challenge ?
Now if they were looking for fakers and f***ers they could fill a bus never mind a cabinet !
insider
Word has it that Gildernew’s election gaffs have pushed her out into the cold.
Word from who.
The DUP surely need to toss a bone to the right of the party which might mean Singin’ Willie gets a ministry despite the fact that the DUP have many more able people about. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to think this but it makes sense.
As for the ‘specific knowledge’ for the job bit, that’s of dubious merit. Being a minister isn’t the same as being a subject expert; the skillset is different, and genuine experts are sometimes to close to interest groups and don’t work out terribly well. It’s not a universal rule but knowledge and interest is no guarantee of success either.
pol
Word from who.”
Well, if nothing else then she was being tipped quite heavily before the election but has disappeared completely from any serious talk at the minute. She was told by Adams to go and visit the DUP Councillor ‘allegedly’ shot by Gerry McGeogh after his house was attacked. Probably required a bit of humble pie on her part given what she said at the time McGeough was arrested.
I didnt suggest that this was fact – but merely a rumour, many of which are doing the rounds re Ministers, but I happen to think that there are some grounds for it.
“The DUP surely need to toss a bone to the right of the party which might mean Singin’ Willie gets a ministry “
Not an earthly. I’d happily bet my house on the fact of Willie McCrea not getting a Ministerial post.
“It seems not only are they running d’hondt basically in private but are also making attempts to make consensus decisions on the way forward for each ministry”
Don’t actually see this as a problem.
This may be a rather ignorant question, but if Policing and Justice powers are to be devolved some time in the near future, surely there is to be a ministry created for it. If this is indeed the case, who does the ministry go to?
insider
…I didnt suggest that this was fact – but merely a rumour, many of which are doing the rounds re Ministers, but I happen to think that there are some grounds for it…
Any chance of you sticking to fact’s.
Or would you like us all to start making it up.
Michael, the policing ministry would be determined on a cross community vote, so could go to the party that was able to put up a candidate and command cross community support.
I am sure that it would be part of a negotiation between the parties.
Personally, I don’t think that any MP should hold a ministry. Their work at Westminster is bound to suffer if they are also trying to run a ministry, given the travel involved etc.
I’m with you on that one Keith arent MPs barred from even standing for Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament?
Thanks slug!
KeithM
Their work at Westminster is bound to suffer if they are also trying to run a ministry, given the travel involved etc.
In Topsy Turvy NI some MPs don’t go to Westminster at all.
“It seems not only are they running d’hondt basically in private but are also making attempts to make consensus decisions on the way forward for each ministryâ€
Don’t actually see this as a problem.
Posted by slug on Mar 28, 2007 @ 04:13 PM
Dont think its a problem, just a bit strange how paranoid they are….but how quick they have been to fully integrate themselves into the system…given our long long long wait for them to get that far.
“Dont think its a problem, just a bit strange how paranoid they are….but how quick they have been to fully integrate themselves into the system…given our long long long wait for them to get that far. ”
Paranoid is a loaded term, so perhaps a more positive term to use would be careful. I don’t find it surprising that they would think carefully about and prepare themselves for these matters beforehand. It would seem sensible to have thought ahead and planned well in advance for this eventuality. After all, they always said they were in favour of local devolution and powersharing when they judged the conditions to be right.