Fine Gael's new front bench.

[locke]

You'll need to select ministers based on geography, experience (including outside politics) and political ability.

From this neck of the woods, I wouldn't have too much issue with dropping Coveney, Allen and O'Keefe. Coveney and O'Keeffe don't seem to have the greatest ability and while I think Allen is hugely under-estimated, age is against him.

I'd suggest bringing in Michael Creed to a front-bench, possibly agriculture. Given her background, Deirdre Clune could make a welcome contribution to environment or transport, but she'd need a crash-course in how to improve her debating skills etc.

[eurocrat]

Enough of debating with clowns, back to topic.
A front bench will comprise:

Hayes
Shatter
Flanagan
Reilly
Varadkar
Creighton
Enright

Who else, and in what?

You forgot Ulick Burke.

In any case, the FG frontbench will be largely dependent on who is made Minister and in what area. They will need their best people to tackle the Green Ministers.

[enby]

It will require a shameless bootboy with the energy and staying power to do the needful day in day out

brian hayes fits the bill here. he is unflappable and can put people under ferocious pressure...........

Good point and like O'Donoghue/O'Dea/McDowell/Rabbitte/Cowen (who have all played that role for their parties with varying degrees of success in the past) he is also a dislikeable sort that the Party can distance itself from with a shrug of the shoulders if he ever goes too far

[meriwether]

Enough of debating with clowns, back to topic.
A front bench will comprise:

Hayes
Shatter
Flanagan
Reilly
Varadkar
Creighton
Enright

Who else, and in what?

You forgot Ulick Burke.

In any case, the FG frontbench will be largely dependent on who is made Minister and in what area. They will need their best people to tackle the Green Ministers.

No, I didnt forget Ulick at all.

[MacO'velli]

Enough of debating with clowns, back to topic.
A front bench will comprise:



Who else, and in what?

Stick in Lucinda, coz then i could watch the Fine Gael "contributions" on oireacthas report with the sound down!!

[mollox]

It will require a shameless bootboy with the energy and staying power to do the needful day in day out

brian hayes fits the bill here. he is unflappable and can put people under ferocious pressure...........

Good point and like O'Donoghue/O'Dea/McDowell/Rabbitte/Cowen (who have all played that role for their parties with varying degrees of success in the past) he is also a dislikeable sort that the Party can distance itself from with a shrug of the shoulders if he ever goes too far

What has Dermot Ahern done to merit exclusion from the pantheon of political street fighters? He's as good a scrapper as all the above - bar Cowen. Now there's a bruiser!

[enby]

It will require a shameless bootboy with the energy and staying power to do the needful day in day out

brian hayes fits the bill here. he is unflappable and can put people under ferocious pressure...........

Good point and like O'Donoghue/O'Dea/McDowell/Rabbitte/Cowen (who have all played that role for their parties with varying degrees of success in the past) he is also a dislikeable sort that the Party can distance itself from with a shrug of the shoulders if he ever goes too far

What has Dermot Ahern done to merit exclusion from the pantheon of political street fighters? He's as good a scrapper as all the above - bar Cowen. Now there's a bruiser!

Wouldn't agree with you there. Any time he gets too feisty he can be reminded about his tree climbing exploits. Anyway he comes across as semi-reasonable and a bit altar boyish.

[unicorn]

It will require a shameless bootboy with the energy and staying power to do the needful day in day out

brian hayes fits the bill here. he is unflappable and can put people under ferocious pressure...........

No, Hayes is too angry, too terrier-like. That kind of 'worrier' isn't fashionable anymore.

[al70]

Brian Hayes and Pat Rabbitte are so alike in demeanor - pompous incarnate

[Dr Jimbo]

You'll need to select ministers based on geography, experience (including outside politics) and political ability.

Not picking ministers, so geography shouldn't really apply.

Not that it should in any case. People go on about FG's high moral ground attitude being offputting, but Garret pulled it off. People need to believe its genuine, rather than false indignation.