SF Ministerial roles announced
SF has divvied up its jobs – Catriona Ruane for Education, Conor Murphy for Regional Development, Michelle Gildernew for Agriculture and Gerry Kelly takes the Junior Ministry post in OFM/DFM. Margaret Ritchie has been confirmed as the SDLP’s nominee for Social Development. The Unionist parties are expected to announce later in the week.
They should make a formidable team. The Shinners don’t want for talent, that’s for sure.
Ruane is a light weight – drafted in to do down the SDLP not to be a good Minister. Granted the other two seem to be intelligent but thats no guarantee that they will be good Ministers
Interesting Gerry Kelly going to OFM/DFM i thought he was the leading light that was going to become Minister for Policing and Justice?? Maybe they’ve realised with boundary changes etc he won’t win North Belfast and they’ve given him the best job he could possibly get!
Murphy is a good appointment, as is Kelly.
Ruane in education will be interesting – not having been educated here I don’t imagine she’ll have the same in-bred attitudes taht everyone else has.
But Gildernew? Holy shit. The only possible explanation for this is that they sense some threat in FST from Foster?
Putting Kelly in will heighten his profile even further. That should help his case in North Belfast. It will also help him get ministerial/adminstrative experience for the bigger job ahead?
This might be naive but where is Adams in all this?
Is it just others time to shine or is he waiting for Tanaiste?
Or even the Big One?
As a supporter of SF’s *present* policies and, therefore, as a comparatively recent SF voter, I’m inclined to agree with Elvis P about the ‘clout’, intellectually or otherwise, of Ms Ruane. I think her appointment was done on purely strategic terms with the South Down seat in SF’s sights as the main prize. My own jury’s out on Gildernew as well, as she’s prone to a lot of ‘foot and mouth’ gaffs which, on the other hand, might suit for for her appointed post! Conor Murphy is very impressive as is John O’Dowd which makes me wonder why the latter wasn’t in the top team. Nonetheless, I wish them well and that also goes for the ministers from the other parties.
On a flight of fantasy, perhaps the First Minister, in his dual role as head of his church and this jurisdiction, could ask for advice on how to run a small statelet with a large diaspora from a person in a similar position – the Pope of Rome. Hmm? Na-ah!!
I wouldn’t say so, Maskey has now got that brief and the Shinners don’t make changes just to go back on them later. I think this is bad news for Kelly and he’s been given the junior minister position simply as a cushion for his fall.
Certainly the Police and Security job is more high profile than the Junior Minister post?? Absolutley! Keeping the security brief raised Kelly’s profile and would have eaten into more SDLP votes in North Belfast if he could be seen as the Policing and Justice Minister in the near future and therefore more acceptable to middle-class SDLP voters on the Antrim Road. Instead he’s gonna be a lackey in the OFM/DFM office – won’t pull him in any further votes
These appointments are not about seats or individuals this is about a team who will shape each department as sinn fein wants it shaped. Kelly in with McGuinness at OFMDFM was the obvious choice if there is going to be a battle a day it will be here and who else for the fight than one of the best soldiers about. Gerry Kelly has proved his abilty over the past 35 years in every battleground this struggle has presented. Very good appointments by Gerry Adams the right team to do the job required.
Mark Durkan had no choice but it now leaves his own personal stature in tatters, former deputy first minister not even in the executive. If we were to count in terms of relevance he is 14th in the north not to mention were he rates on the island. The executive table will be a lonely place for Margaret Ritchie.
The SDLP seems to be taking a big gamble on raising Margaret Ritchie’s profile ahead of the next Westminster election, especially as Caitriona Ruane will also benefit from the increased exposure of a Ministerial brief.
“Gerry Kelly has proved his abilty over the past 35 years in every battleground this struggle has presented”
So yeah then Mr J Kelly, he’s obviously not looking for the North seat lol. Also:
“These appointments are not about seats or individuals this is about a team who will shape each department as sinn fein wants it shaped”
So it’s just coincidence then that Ruane (the candidate for the SF targeted South Down seat) and Gildernew (selected to raise her profile in FST ahead of the challenge of Foster after she beat her in the assembly elections.) got selected?? Wishful thinking really!!
when your back is against the wall you have no other option but gamble. durkan was the obvious choice but it would have sent out the message of the sdlp being a one man band. i have to say its terrible to see a once great party in so much trouble LOL
And the first prize for swallowing the Shinners’ dictonary goes to…
J Kelly: “Gerry Kelly has proved his abilty over the past 35 years in every battleground this struggle has presented.”
Some one pass the sick bucket, quick!!
Plum Duff as: “a supporter of SF’s *present* policies”, I hope you notice the pride in the continuity of ‘the struggle’ that people like J Kelly show.
I acknowledge that Kelly and Murphy have significant political abilities, the same cannot be said of Gildernew.
I’m unsure about how Ruane will appraoch Eduacation. Surely one of the tasks that this minister will have to undertake will be increased rationalisation, and integration of the voluntary sector into the state system. Will Ruane have the nerve to tackle this issue?
Of course it would be helpful if I could type “dictionary” correctly.
On the SDLP and social development. I don’t see how they can use this ministry to improve the party’s position/profile. On the other hand avoiding the poisoned chalice of health is to their long-term advantage.
bye, bye gerry kelly!
[play the ball - edited moderator]
TK of course republicans show pride in the struggle and are proud of those who fought. The war maybe over but it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen or we should hide away from it.
Catriona Ruane has a formidable CV, CAJ, Feile an Phobal and she led the Bring them Home campaign for the Columbia 3. I don’t think that Sinn Fein would have given her the job if she hadn’t the ability.
Regarding Gildernew –
surely she is safe in FST? The SDLP seem to be in a very sorry state there and look set to lose even more votes should the seat look like it might fall to the DUP. Aren’t SF 3000 votes ahead? It is a republican/nationalist constituency (although not by much) and I cant see the DUP taking it back without the SDLP pulling off a major comeback to eat into the SF vote.
Regarding Ruane –
she always comes across as a capable Shinner. She does well in most debates and has a strong history of organising local bodies. Is there reason to doubt her intellect? Maybe I am forgetting something but has she a history of gaffs?
“republicans show pride in the struggle and are proud of those who fought”
Does that include babykillers who blew up innocent women and children on the Shankill?? Or all the murdered Policemen and women, and soldiers, only out doing a days work, earning a living?? Are they proud of these feats?? Its easy to say your proud of taking on the “Brits” but were you also proud of the anguish and grief that was caused by so many in the Republican movement??
Leave comments like that in the past or else stay there
I think that Ruane will prove her ability in what will no doubt be a difficult role. That is why I think the SDLP may regret the promotion of Ritchie. Had they no other MLA of ability to run a government department if Durkan genuinely did not want to take office himself?
J Kelly, in the words of a graffiti artist on the Ormeau Road – it wasn’t a war, it was a very naughty boy.
Gum, I accept your point about Ruane’s organisational qualities. As URQUHARTW says without roots in the North she may even approach problems from a fresh perspective.
I would have thought Carmel Hanna would have been capable?? McDonnell wouldn’t have liked it though!!!
To be honest, any talk of capabilities or otherwise of anyone is just fluff until they actual do something worthwhile. The jury’s out on the entire Executive.
The Maskey/Kelly swap is an intresting move.
Alex is much more palatable to unionists than Gerry. In fact, I think Gerry scares the hell out of most unionists. Alex will be able to demonstrate a firm but sensitive hand on the Policing Board, and smooth the transition to local control over policing. I think most unionists would be broadly comfortable with Policing Minister Maskey alongside Justice Minister Paisley. I think a ministerial post of this kind may also help rehabilitate Kelly in unionist eyes. I think he’ll be the surprise star of the new cabinet line-up – if the Press give him a fair crack of the whip (which, of course, they won’t).
Whether the Shinners then try to pull a bait-and-switch and reinstate GerryK at Policing is another question entirely ….
The person who may be disappointed here is Mitchel McLoughlin. I know Shinners don’t do personal disappointment, but he’s too capable to be stuck as a mere MLA. A loss to the electorate as a whole. Gildernew has plenty of profile as an MP and MLA and she’s in a dead safe seat. If they wanted another woman (and while I wouldn’t want to suggest that Gildernew’s appointment is tokenism, it wouldn’t have looked good to have a ministerial team of 4 men and 1 woman), Martina Anderson would have been my preference, neophyte or not.
Gum,
“…she always comes across as a capable Shinner…”
It’s just a shame nobody in South Down (and that’s NOBODY!) likes her! It still hasn’t been forgotten how she was parachuted in to the constituency and it still has been forgiven. In the last election, she had to canvass with just one other person. Now I know she could have called on friends from around the country and there were rumours of the EO investigating party spending but really… Are we to believe that Miss Ruane actually wanted to canvass on her own? In short, she is not liked and will struggle to change people’s minds in South Down.
Leaving my own politics and view of the administration to one side, I feel the appointment of two women to top jobs has got to be a progressive step, for in the past as far as having women politicos to the for, the north has often run a close second to Saudi.
Both women I would guess are under forty which is another plus as the assemble is full of grey suited middle aged males. As to Kelly, he may have his hands full decommissioning another department of the PRM if the barking of the dogs in the street is on the bone.
Could any of the boffins at slugger tell me what the responsibilities of the deputy first minister are and could McG be frozen out by Paisley?
Isidore,
You may have missed it but Ruane topped the poll in South Down and took the first Assembly seat.
Sorry to burst your ill-informed bubble of bullshit/deceit.
#It’s just a shame nobody in South Down (and that’s NOBODY!) likes her!’
Makes her leadership of the SF vote in the area and the closure of the gap to the SDLP to negligible figures all the more remarkable.
‘In the last election, she had to canvass with just one other person.’
See above.
‘Are we to believe that Miss Ruane actually wanted to canvass on her own? In short, she is not liked and will struggle to change people’s minds in South Down.’
Again see above.
Isidore your post is just plain dumb.
To those talking about ministries being used to profile potential MPs, surely if the Assembly is stable Nationalists should consider withdrawing from these pointless and expensive battles in worthless westminister elections?
mickhall, I am probably being blindingly thick, but what id the PRM?
Token dissent
provisional republican movement
Mickhall – the DFM’s responsibilities are exactly the same as the FM’s. Either could freeze the other out.
I expect you know this but prefer to emphasise the “deputy” in MMG’s title to give a false impression.
The person who may be disappointed here is Mitchel McLoughlin. I know Shinners don’t do personal disappointment, but he’s too capable to be stuck as a mere MLA. A loss to the electorate as a whole.
Posted by middle-class taig on Apr 04, 2007 @ 05:40 PM
He said, and came across quite frankly and honestly in saying it, on Questions and Answers a couple of weeks ago that he didn’t expect to be considered as a minister, would refuse such a position if offered to him and preferred and felt he was better suited to other roles in the party.
As Sinn Feiners ago, he doesn’t seem the worst. I have to say I just find Catriona Ruane comes across as annoying, but she might be a decent minister – which is the main thing now with she and all 14 of them.
The only possible explanation for this is that they sense some threat in FST from Foster?
Nonsense!
Michelle has done a lot of work on the Agriculture porfolio within the party. She had the Civil Servants and their cronies in the UUP land owners/Department of Agriculture bricking it at the prospect of her being a Minister.
She is a very capable elected rep from a strong Republican constituency.
What many of you consider “gaffes” and “mistakes” many within the Republican community were very happy with.
She is a young, intelligent woman and that is what most in the DOA have to fear, she won’t take any shit of them.
A good ministerial team!
Gildernew is far from safe in F/S/T with the total collapse of the UUP vote the DUP can capitalise but with the added spice of Arlene Foster as the all singing all dancing unified unionist candidate S/Fs goose looks cooked.
It was because of this opportunity to take F/S/T that Foster was not parachuted into Belfast South to replace the local drudge.
Murphy is only smart looking, he wears a reasonable suit and trendy glasses but is as bright as a pocket torch using Nutts corner batteries at ten for a quid, I’m not saying the man is stupid it’s just that I won’t be getting him to do my books for me.
Gerry Kelly is almost the same as Conor Murphy he’s also as bright as a pocket torch from Nutts corner except without the batteries.
Ms Ruane though takes the biscut, I tell you having had the misfortune to have been in her company on several occassions I can state with complete confidence that gaff collectors are about to be spoilt rotten.
You only have to look in the womans eyes to know that there may be a lift installed but it definitely does not reach the top floor, it was probably for this reason that S/F sent her to help the Columbian drug dealers escape justice, knowing that they could jettison her at will if it went like her figure “pear shaped” all in all a pretty piss poor team
Nobody will be surprised to read the sycophantic Shinner dribble from the likes of Pat Mc Larnon and SuperSoupy – judging from their previous entries here on the Slug, it is only to be expected. No “debate†is possible
SuperSoupy questions my point that Catriona Ruane is not liked in South Down (mostly notably by local SF activists!) and, by way of “proofâ€, he cites the fact that she topped the poll as if to suggest her 6334 first preference votes reflect a personal vote. I do not doubt for a minute that SuperSoupy genuinely believes this.
Within four minutes of SuperSoupy’s post (and just long enough to type another post?), Pat Mc Larnon makes a similarly ridiculous point, like only Shinner sycophants can! Ruane’s leadership of the SF vote is just that, a reflection of the SF vote. There is no way of judging how far this can be seen as a reflection of her personal popularity, to suggest otherwise is simply delusional. If that’s how Miss Ruane sees it then it would be considerably arrogant of her; but then again, she is a SF representative.
The fact remains that our new Minister was left to canvass on her own. Why? Catriona Ruane’s problem in South Down is not the SDLP, far from it! It is from within her own party whose members in SD resent the fact that she was parachuted in to the constituency by a British spy and, in doing so, kicked the much loved local man out of the game.
Mick
I’m not 100% certain, but I doubt either Michele or Catriona will ever see 40 again.
Isidore
Looks like Denis Donaldson managed to complete his mission, even if it did come a year after he died.
“Mick
I’m not 100% certain, but I doubt either Michele or Catriona will ever see 40 again.”
Wiki has Gildernew born in 1970 and Ruane in 1962.
The man not ball rule suspended again but sure it’s only SF being hacked at.
Indeed Soupy
What a load of nerdish sycophancy. Who cares who got which particular “high office” and whether Gerry is better than Michelle or Alex more acceptable than Columbia Caitriona.
These Sinners,who have ushered Paisley into power, are nothing but a bunch of self-serving, sectarian power trippers in a wee partitionist six counties toy town parliament.
They are part of the new six counties elite and
we will soon see just how reactionary their policies are. The attack on the trade unions over water tax is just the start of it. Bourgeois Catholic Nationalism how are you?
Oh SuperSoupy I hope you ok, and that you haven’t been too upset by the comments.
Its not like you viciously attack contributors or anything…
Sean,
The ‘attack’ on the Unions led to one main postal Union endorsing Mitchel’s idea and calling on the others to do likewise.
This, of course, was not as widely covered as other people having a pop.
TD,
I’m a big boy don’t worry, I’m not asking for personal protection from the asinine contributions above. I’m just noting what is allowed to stand as acceptable comment on government ministers designate when a rule is rigorously aplied in other situations.
No biggy, it’s standard form. I just mention it occasionally.
This post concerns the SF ministerial roles and Ruane in particular. To question how affective a SF minister can be if she doesn’t possess the full backing of her party is certainly fair comment; or is that merely an “ill-informed bubble of bullshit”? Better to whinge than answer the question eh?
I KNOW people in more than one of the SD cumman
refused to canvas with hermade their excuses as to why they would not be able to canvass with her; something previously inheard of within the ranks of SF! It’s not just a case that Ruane is not liked, she has yet to convince the SD SF that she is not another Donaldson!Isidore,
I know more people in South Down SF than you do, I know that they all have a great relationship with Catriona and the few that had any issues left long ago with the electorally rejected Cunningham.
Being in the same count centre with them in Lisburn I saw the uncontainable joy of every SF member in that constituency as they saw her poll-topping result and gleefully rang their friends/comrades to boast about the wonderful result the team had accomplished.
Sour grapes and bullshit on your part. Lap it up. She stuffed every contender.
Your bitterness just makes victory sweeter.
mickhall,
As no one has answered your question on the difference between FM and DFM (Unionists won’t want to) I will -
There isn’t one. The prefix means nothing other than the stage they got the equal role.
The main function are:
The duties of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister will include, inter alia, dealing with and co-ordinating the work of the Executive Committee and the response of the Northern Ireland administration to external relationships.
but the office has other policy setting areas including most importantly Europe.
They are equal roles. Mallon often made an issue of the prefix seemingly reducing his equal status. McGuinness will have exactly the same legal status as Paisley regardless of any prefix.
Isidore (change the name),
Just got a reply from the SF Director of Elections for SD. At no stage was Catriona out canvassing with a team of less than ten SF members on many occasions they had over 50 activists out with her.
So is he lying or are you? Prove your bullshit – but you can’t because it’s just bullshit.
It’s obvious that the Shinners in the North believe in the sinn part strongly.
No-one, and especially no man, can find it easy to eschew personal power for the benefit of the party. I suppose that virtue of selflessness comes from the Struggle.
South of the border, it lasted a generation, before mé féin got the upper hand, where it sits in absolute authority today.
Fáilte ar ais, missfitz.
The site has been plumbing new depths of trolling almost on a weekly basis. This thread being no different.
Pre election it was the home for a plethora of ‘new’ posters who had the task of talking up the dissidents etc and the trouble that SF were having.
As it was these clowns were humiliated and their analysis shown to be propaganda or just plain lies.
One would have thought these ‘posters’ would have had the good grace to disappear back beneath the stones they evidently originated from. But no, we have the likes of ‘Isidore’ crawling out with sweeping statements about Ruane. According to this poster ‘nobody likes her’. How this single troll was able to do a vox pop on every single person in Sth Down is not explained. But then again that is not the point is it. The poster then has the audacity to talk of the much loved local candidate. Who exactly is that? Is that the person who also fought the assembly elections and got nowhere.
Speculation and rumour mongering will always collapse under the sheer weight of the facts. As it is ‘isidore’ it is the voters of that constituency that have damned you as a fool and a liar. Lie all you want and profess an inside knowledge but put against the truth that came out only a few weeks ago via the ballot box and people can make up their own mind.
Having posted before under another identity ‘isidore’ has now reappeared to give post election analysis based on the ‘everyone knows’ school of thought. Not likely, at least have the wit to wait till the election results are a bit of a memory.