FG Front Bench

[Biffo]

With the election a week away I’ve decided to do everybody a little favour and introduce a group of people thus far unknown in the election campaign but the same people who are asking to be ministers in the next cabinet.

Bernard Durkan:
Portfolio: Communications and Natural Resources
Political Experience: Former Chairman of Joint Committee on European Affairs, Junior Minister Social welfare.
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Roundly booed at a Rossport 5 protest last year. Spends a lot of time laughing in the dail chamber, overlooked for cabinet in the past.

Billy Timmins TD
Portfolio: Defence
Political Experience: Nothing of note
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Was an army officer at one time, holds a safe seat. First elected in 1997, been flogged around a few portfolios since.

Olwyn Enright TD
Portfolio: Education & Science
Political Experience: Chairperson of Birr Vintage Week Committee
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Talk is the wrong word but appear definitely.
Comment: First elected in 2002. She’s a looker, but incapable in independent thought, floundered on Drive Time yesterday when asked specific questions.

Denis Naughten TD
Portfolio: Agriculture & Food
Political Experience: Sat on a few committees
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Apparently considered contesting the leadership the last time it came up, first elected in 97, held a few portfolios.

Dinny McGinley TD
Portfolio: Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
Political Experience: Few committees
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: First elected in 1982, overlooked for cabinet in the past, has held a whole range of portfolios without ever excelling

Olivia Mitchell TD
Portfolio: Transport
Political Experience: Few committees
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Yes
Comment: First elected in 1997, hitting 60.

David Stanton TD
Portfolio: Social & Family Affairs & Equality
Political Experience: Nothing of note
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: First elected in 1997, held a few deputy spokesman positions jobs in his day, until the numbers bumped him into the front bench.

Paul Connaughton TD
Portfolio: Regional Development, Emigrant Affairs
Political Experience: Junior Minister for Agriculture
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Overlooked for cabinet in the past by successive leaders.

Jimmy Deenihan TD
Portfolio: Arts Sports & Tourism
Political Experience: Junior minister Agriculture
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: 5 All Ireland medals and All Star in 1981, obviously FG don’t think as much of him, was overlooked for cabinet at every opportunity

Fergus O’Dowd TD
Portfolio: Environment & Local Government
Political Experience: Chairman of Droichead Arts Council, Drogheda
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: First elected in 2002, hitting 60.

John Perry TD
Portfolio: Marine
Political Experience: Former Chairman of Public Accounts Committee
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Who? First elected in 1997.

Liam Twomey TD
Portfolio: Health
Political Experience: None
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Yes
Comment: First elected in 2002, attempting to further his career by joining FG, out of his depth in a debate with Harney and Rabbitte a few weeks ago.

Phil Hogan TD
Portfolio: Enterprise Trade & Employment
Political Experience: Junior Minister in Dept Finance
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to National Media: Occasionally
Comment: Lost leadership contest to Enda Kenny, overlooked for cabinet position in the past.

Bernard Allen TD
Portfolio: Foreign Affairs
Political Experience: Lord mayor of Cork, Junior Minister for Education
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Getting on, has been overlooked for a cabinet position by successive FG leaders.

Jim O’Keeffe
Portfolio: Justice
Political Experience: Junior Minister Dept Finance & Foreign Affairs
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Occasionally
Comment: First elected in 1977, overlooked for cabinet position by successive FG leaders.

Richard Bruton TD
Portfolio: Finance
Political Experience: Junior Minister for Industry and Commerce, Minister for Enterprise & Employment 94-97
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Yes
Allowed to talk to the National Media: I don’t think he is allowed to talk to anybody else, currently building up the muscles in his back by carrying all of the above on his back in this campaign.
Comment: First elected in 1982. Was the highest ranking FG minister in the rainbow government, lost to Enda Kenny in leadership contest.

Enda Kenny TD
Portfolio: Party Leader & Northern Ireland
Political Experience: Junior Minister for Education, Minister for Trade & Tourism 94-97
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Yes
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Constantly
Comment: First elected in 1975., did nothing for 11 yeas before Gareth Fitzgerald appointed him as junior minister for one year, then followed another 7 years being flogged around different positions on the FG front bench including Education, Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Western Development and Youth Affairs oh and Sport. Served as minister for Trade and Tourism from 1994 - 1997 before being chased from office. Lost a leadership contest to Michael Noonan in 2001, before the process of elimination finally came good for him in 2002. Hitting 60, hopes his best days are not behind him.

So there we have it, 2 people who have served in cabinet and 13 who are quite simply not up to the job, this fact is borne out by the fact that some of those mentioned above were overlooked for cabinet positions by Garret Fitzgerald and the vast majority were overlooked by John Bruton. Now if these people weren’t good enough then how in the hell are we to expect that they are now? FG like to make an issue about Martin Cullen not being allowed to talk to the media or that he is missing from this campaign – I would suggest that Martin Cullen has appeared more than 13 of these people who FG are unashamedly hiding. Their policies are pig in a poke and their candidates are pig in a poke and its time these embarrassments to FG were exposed.

[NM_123]

Biffo: fair & balanced.

Just like Fox news.

[Biffo]

Biffo: fair & balanced.

Just like Fox news.

I dont claim to be but Im not lying about the records of these shadows.

[aodh_rua]

With the election a week away I’ve decided to do everybody a little favour and introduce a group of people thus far unknown in the election campaign but the same people who are asking to be ministers in the next cabinet.

Bernard Durkan:
Portfolio: Communications and Natural Resources
Political Experience: Former Chairman of Joint Committee on European Affairs, Junior Minister Social welfare.
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Roundly booed at a Rossport 5 protest last year. Spends a lot of time laughing in the dail chamber, overlooked for cabinet in the past.

Longest serving TD in County Kildare. Has never been secure in his seat and currently locked in a tight battle. He's actually speaking on Kfm at the moment if you want to catch him.

Billy Timmins TD
Portfolio: Defence
Political Experience: Nothing of note
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Was an army officer at one time, holds a safe seat. First elected in 1997, been flogged around a few portfolios since.

Produced a comprehensive document on the future of Irish neutrality. Fine Gael are the only party to say that this needs to be discussed.

Olwyn Enright TD
Portfolio: Education & Science
Political Experience: Chairperson of Birr Vintage Week Committee
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Talk is the wrong word but appear definitely.
Comment: First elected in 2002. She’s a looker, but incapable in independent thought, floundered on Drive Time yesterday when asked specific questions.

Probably a junior minister in the upcoming government and has made a much bigger impact than many of FF's clutch of lobby-fodder first termers.

Denis Naughten TD
Portfolio: Agriculture & Food
Political Experience: Sat on a few committees
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Apparently considered contesting the leadership the last time it came up, first elected in 97, held a few portfolios.

Has firmly established Fine Gael as the #1 choice for farmers and put us way ahead of FF. Definitely one to watch.

Dinny McGinley TD
Portfolio: Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
Political Experience: Few committees
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: First elected in 1982, overlooked for cabinet in the past, has held a whole range of portfolios without ever excelling

FF have allowed Donegal to atrophy for decades. Hopefully Dinny and Joe will get in and do something to increase investment in Ireland's unemployment black spot.

Olivia Mitchell TD
Portfolio: Transport
Political Experience: Few committees
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Yes
Comment: First elected in 1997, hitting 60.

Her opponent Martin Cullen is so incompotent the scale of her job attacking him is huge. Popular in her constituency and a definite for a senior cabinet post.

David Stanton TD
Portfolio: Social & Family Affairs & Equality
Political Experience: Nothing of note
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: First elected in 1997, held a few deputy spokesman positions jobs in his day, until the numbers bumped him into the front bench.

Very impressive in person, and seems to genuinely believe in his portfolio. I'd expect him to make the junior benches.

Paul Connaughton TD
Portfolio: Regional Development, Emigrant Affairs
Political Experience: Junior Minister for Agriculture
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Overlooked for cabinet in the past by successive leaders.


Jimmy Deenihan TD
Portfolio: Arts Sports & Tourism
Political Experience: Junior minister Agriculture
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: 5 All Ireland medals and All Star in 1981, obviously FG don’t think as much of him, was overlooked for cabinet at every opportunity

Looks like getting a huge vote in Kerry North and should be in line for promotion.

Fergus O’Dowd TD
Portfolio: Environment & Local Government
Political Experience: Chairman of Droichead Arts Council, Drogheda
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: First elected in 2002, hitting 60.

An excellent and high profile TD. First to highlight Leas Cross he has been a constant fixture on the national media in the last few years.

John Perry TD
Portfolio: Marine
Political Experience: Former Chairman of Public Accounts Committee
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Who? First elected in 1997.

Another popular local TD - probably in line for a junior post.

Liam Twomey TD
Portfolio: Health
Political Experience: None
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Yes
Comment: First elected in 2002, attempting to further his career by joining FG, out of his depth in a debate with Harney and Rabbitte a few weeks ago.

Very passionate about health and excellent in public meetings. He has a very good style which is based around listening - I suppose that's from his medical experience. He would make a good minister.

Phil Hogan TD
Portfolio: Enterprise Trade & Employment
Political Experience: Junior Minister in Dept Finance
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to National Media: Occasionally
Comment: Lost leadership contest to Enda Kenny, overlooked for cabinet position in the past.

Displayed a level of accountability that one would never see in FF when he resigned his post in Finance after a staffer faxed a statement a few hours before the budget. Has contributed greatly to the resurgence of FG, definitely in line for a senior cabinet post.

Bernard Allen TD
Portfolio: Foreign Affairs
Political Experience: Lord mayor of Cork, Junior Minister for Education
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Getting on, has been overlooked for a cabinet position by successive FG leaders.

Jim O’Keeffe
Portfolio: Justice
Political Experience: Junior Minister Dept Finance & Foreign Affairs
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Occasionally
Comment: First elected in 1977, overlooked for cabinet position by successive FG leaders.

FG are set to make big gains in Cork thanks to Jim and Bernard.

Richard Bruton TD
Portfolio: Finance
Political Experience: Junior Minister for Industry and Commerce, Minister for Enterprise & Employment 94-97
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Yes
Allowed to talk to the National Media: I don’t think he is allowed to talk to anybody else, currently building up the muscles in his back by carrying all of the above on his back in this campaign.
Comment: First elected in 1982. Was the highest ranking FG minister in the rainbow government, lost to Enda Kenny in leadership contest.

Fine Gael's intellectual powerhouse and widely respected. He is an asset to the country.

Enda Kenny TD
Portfolio: Party Leader & Northern Ireland
Political Experience: Junior Minister for Education, Minister for Trade & Tourism 94-97
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Yes
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Constantly
Comment: First elected in 1975., did nothing for 11 yeas before Gareth Fitzgerald appointed him as junior minister for one year, then followed another 7 years being flogged around different positions on the FG front bench including Education, Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Western Development and Youth Affairs oh and Sport. Served as minister for Trade and Tourism from 1994 - 1997 before being chased from office. Lost a leadership contest to Michael Noonan in 2001, before the process of elimination finally came good for him in 2002. Hitting 60, hopes his best days are not behind him.

A man of vision who will do for Irish politics what he has done to reinvigorate FG. Even John Drennan went from calling him 'Kenny-lite' to 'Fine Gael's Jack Lynch'.

[Al]

With the election a week away I’ve decided to do everybody a little favour and introduce a group of people thus far unknown in the election campaign but the same people who are asking to be ministers in the next cabinet.

Bernard Durkan:
Portfolio: Communications and Natural Resources
Political Experience: Former Chairman of Joint Committee on European Affairs, Junior Minister Social welfare.
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Roundly booed at a Rossport 5 protest last year. Spends a lot of time laughing in the dail chamber, overlooked for cabinet in the past.

Billy Timmins TD
Portfolio: Defence
Political Experience: Nothing of note
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Was an army officer at one time, holds a safe seat. First elected in 1997, been flogged around a few portfolios since.

Olwyn Enright TD
Portfolio: Education & Science
Political Experience: Chairperson of Birr Vintage Week Committee
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Talk is the wrong word but appear definitely.
Comment: First elected in 2002. She’s a looker, but incapable in independent thought, floundered on Drive Time yesterday when asked specific questions.

Denis Naughten TD
Portfolio: Agriculture & Food
Political Experience: Sat on a few committees
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Apparently considered contesting the leadership the last time it came up, first elected in 97, held a few portfolios.

Dinny McGinley TD
Portfolio: Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
Political Experience: Few committees
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: First elected in 1982, overlooked for cabinet in the past, has held a whole range of portfolios without ever excelling

Olivia Mitchell TD
Portfolio: Transport
Political Experience: Few committees
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Yes
Comment: First elected in 1997, hitting 60.

David Stanton TD
Portfolio: Social & Family Affairs & Equality
Political Experience: Nothing of note
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: First elected in 1997, held a few deputy spokesman positions jobs in his day, until the numbers bumped him into the front bench.

Paul Connaughton TD
Portfolio: Regional Development, Emigrant Affairs
Political Experience: Junior Minister for Agriculture
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Overlooked for cabinet in the past by successive leaders.

Jimmy Deenihan TD
Portfolio: Arts Sports & Tourism
Political Experience: Junior minister Agriculture
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: 5 All Ireland medals and All Star in 1981, obviously FG don’t think as much of him, was overlooked for cabinet at every opportunity

Fergus O’Dowd TD
Portfolio: Environment & Local Government
Political Experience: Chairman of Droichead Arts Council, Drogheda
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: First elected in 2002, hitting 60.

John Perry TD
Portfolio: Marine
Political Experience: Former Chairman of Public Accounts Committee
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Who? First elected in 1997.

Liam Twomey TD
Portfolio: Health
Political Experience: None
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Yes
Comment: First elected in 2002, attempting to further his career by joining FG, out of his depth in a debate with Harney and Rabbitte a few weeks ago.

Phil Hogan TD
Portfolio: Enterprise Trade & Employment
Political Experience: Junior Minister in Dept Finance
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to National Media: Occasionally
Comment: Lost leadership contest to Enda Kenny, overlooked for cabinet position in the past.

Bernard Allen TD
Portfolio: Foreign Affairs
Political Experience: Lord mayor of Cork, Junior Minister for Education
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: No
Comment: Getting on, has been overlooked for a cabinet position by successive FG leaders.

Jim O’Keeffe
Portfolio: Justice
Political Experience: Junior Minister Dept Finance & Foreign Affairs
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Never
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Occasionally
Comment: First elected in 1977, overlooked for cabinet position by successive FG leaders.

Richard Bruton TD
Portfolio: Finance
Political Experience: Junior Minister for Industry and Commerce, Minister for Enterprise & Employment 94-97
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Yes
Allowed to talk to the National Media: I don’t think he is allowed to talk to anybody else, currently building up the muscles in his back by carrying all of the above on his back in this campaign.
Comment: First elected in 1982. Was the highest ranking FG minister in the rainbow government, lost to Enda Kenny in leadership contest.

Enda Kenny TD
Portfolio: Party Leader & Northern Ireland
Political Experience: Junior Minister for Education, Minister for Trade & Tourism 94-97
Elected to/Appointed to cabinet: Yes
Allowed to talk to the National Media: Constantly
Comment: First elected in 1975., did nothing for 11 yeas before Gareth Fitzgerald appointed him as junior minister for one year, then followed another 7 years being flogged around different positions on the FG front bench including Education, Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Western Development and Youth Affairs oh and Sport. Served as minister for Trade and Tourism from 1994 - 1997 before being chased from office. Lost a leadership contest to Michael Noonan in 2001, before the process of elimination finally came good for him in 2002. Hitting 60, hopes his best days are not behind him.

So there we have it, 2 people who have served in cabinet and 13 who are quite simply not up to the job, this fact is borne out by the fact that some of those mentioned above were overlooked for cabinet positions by Garret Fitzgerald and the vast majority were overlooked by John Bruton. Now if these people weren’t good enough then how in the hell are we to expect that they are now? FG like to make an issue about Martin Cullen not being allowed to talk to the media or that he is missing from this campaign – I would suggest that Martin Cullen has appeared more than 13 of these people who FG are unashamedly hiding. Their policies are pig in a poke and their candidates are pig in a poke and its time these embarrassments to FG were exposed.

The words of a worried FFer

[Celbridger]

Consignment of clean pants to the Treasury Building please.

[meriwether]

Experience does not equal competence Biffo.
Cullen and Roche (remember them Biffo?) have lots of experience.
Sadly they are criminally incompetent.
Further incompetents include Joe Jacob and Noel Dempsy. Other incompetents include John O Donoghue, who was demoted from justice into the ministry that FFers take great glee in saying Kenny was in, and Michael Martin, who ranks as one of the worst health ministers ever. He is so bad, Brian Lenihan Jr went so far as to defend Mary Harneys record in health, by stating on the week in politics that she was left a mess of a service.
Then we have Brian Cowen, Deputy leader of FF, and finance minister.
Cowen is so competent and in control, that he cannot even take control of the direction of his own partys economic manifesto for this years election. Its been a little picked up on fact, but Cowen wanted a thrifty manifesto. What we got was the current 1977 re-incarnation.
Which begs the question- if he cant control his own party's policies, how can he control the country?
And what other FF ministers of Health contributed to the 'mess' inhereted by Harney?
Err........Brian Cowen was also a health minister.
Oops.

[loner]

Gosh Biffo that was a mighty contrib---u sound kinda worried

[rover]

biffo- i notice that in your latest pathetic attempt to smear fine gael you draw attention to the fact that olivia mitchell, fergus o dowd and enda kenny are "pushing 60"

is age an issue with you??

if so, would you care to give an opinion on some of your own sprightly young candidates??

michael woods - 72
mary o rourke - 70
brendan daly - 67
john dennehy - 67
michael smith - 67
donal moynihan - 66
ned o keeffe - 65
martin mansergh - 61
pat "the fool" gallagher - 60
pat carey - 60

[aodh_rua]

biffo- i notice that in your latest pathetic attempt to smear fine gael you draw attention to the fact that olivia mitchell, fergus o dowd and enda kenny are "pushing 60"

is age an issue with you??

if so, would you care to give an opinion on some of your own sprightly young candidates??

michael woods - 72
mary o rourke - 70
brendan daly - 67
john dennehy - 67
michael smith - 67
donal moynihan - 66
ned o keeffe - 65
martin mansergh - 61
pat "the fool" gallagher - 60
pat carey - 60

Isn't the whole cabinet over the age of 46\7? The oldest in the history of the state.