Dear John, Right now, you’re probably wondering where to begin. Half your membership wants you to pull out of coalition on Tuesday, the rest want you to stick the course. The wiser course is probably to knuckle down and get on with it. But to make that work, you need to change some things. First.… Continue reading Two Hundred Words to John Gormley
Tag: John Gormley
Last Past the Post
At a recent Meet the Bloggers event, John Gormley spoke about a plan to reduce the influence of clientelism in Irish politics. The Greens want a hybrid combining the single transferable vote with a list system, so that 150 or so TDs are directly elected, with the balance of seats going on a party basis… Continue reading Last Past the Post
What Dan Boyle really meant in Tralee
Dan Boyle went down to Tralee last week to say ‘something controversial’. Boyle must have been aware of poll findings, and told his Kerry audience it was time to review the programme for government. ‘Most of the Green Party elements of it have now been implemented,’ Boyle said. ‘It is a document that is in… Continue reading What Dan Boyle really meant in Tralee
Listen and Learn
Last night I went along to a meeting of bloggers and politicians arranged by Green TD Ciaran Cuffe. A tour of the Green party offices was followed by a round table discussion involving between about twenty bloggers, Cuffe, John Gormley and Deirdre de Burca. Eventually, we got to the point: How can politicians best use… Continue reading Listen and Learn
De Mare
Dublin is to get a new directly-elected mayor within a year. The first directly elected city leader will be chosen by the capital’s citizens next summer. ‘2010 will see the direct election, by the people of the Dublin region, of a highly-visible and accountable Mayor who will have the authority and powers to deliver real… Continue reading De Mare
Inconceivable
The Friday Irish Times front page, which went to press an hour or so ago, has a picture of environment minister John Gormley chatting with some national school children. Gormley’s other official duty today was to announce the scrapping of misguided government plans to introduce evoting. Back in March, Gormley conceded it was ‘inconceivable‘ that… Continue reading Inconceivable
Climbdown
Biffo blinked. As I write, I’m watching live coverage of the Taoiseach’s press conference to announce the government is backing down from the decision to remove free medical cards from all citizens over the age of seventy. By increasing the income limit for a medical card to €700, the government has ensured that all but… Continue reading Climbdown
Experience
Consider the following: Biffo and Dermot Ahern were solicitors. Micheál Martin, Mary Harney, Mary Hanafin and Noel Dempsey were secondary school teachers. Mary Coughlan was a social worker. Brian Lenihan was a lecturer and qualified barrister. Willie O’Dea was a qualified barrister and accountant. Batt O’Keeffe was a lecturer. Brendan Smith was a political handler.… Continue reading Experience