Shoring up Caitriona?
Sinn Fein has just announced a back bench reshuffle, shifting John O'Dowd from chairing the Public Accounts Committee to become the party's education spokesperson. Paul Butler moves across to Enterprise, whilst Paul Maskey gets the role of chairing the powerful watchdog P.A. C.
What should we read into John O'Dowd's move? Is it an attempt to shore up Caitriona Ruane ahead of the minister bringing her proposals on academic selection to the Executive? The minister faces a fortnight of difficult debates in the Chamber, and there is no sign of it getting any easier.
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If all the people who followed Ian Paisley over the years had known his secret strategy to use their fear to get into power so that he could deliver what he ridiculed others for trying to do he would not now be in his current prime position. He must have been desperate in his old age to have his name eventually written in the sky as one who delivered a new Ireland. It seems that as long as he is the leader he is willing to do many things he told us he opposed. This is not about not going back to the past it is all about himself as a monument in history. It is good that he is going.
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Mark
RESHUFFLE HIGHLIGHTS SINN FÉIN?S LACK OF TALENT
As is the case with successful football teams such as Manchester United and Chelsea, a political party needs a strong squad to ensure long-term success. The Sinn Fein reshuffle highlights the paucity of talent within the Party and the latest appointments to Committees illustrate the extent of the problem. Putting O?Dowd on the Education Committee is laugh-out-loud time. His major flaws lie in his lack of intellectual acuity and erudition. He is nothing more than Sinn Fein?s political boot boy (hair style to match) whose in-your-face posturing and aggressive body language seem to be designed to bully opponents into submission. Unfortunately for Sinn Féin, I doubt that he will be able to deflect the salvo of criticism that is coming Caítriona Ruane?s way when she announces her education proposals. Turning to Paul Maskey, what can one say? An intellectual pigmy, bereft of critical faculties, who parrots any line that he is fed by the Leadership. Ditto Paul Butler.
The only media organ that will put a positive spin on this reshuffle is Sinn Féin?s mouthpiece, the Andersonstown News, which as everyone knows is ?an apology for a newspaper.? http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article3558202.ece By the way, has anyone seen or heard from Máirtín Ó Muílleoir since that grovelling apology to Gerry Adams? No? I thought so!
Footnote: Speaking on today?s Talkback about the reshuffle, O?Dowd was heard to say: ?Sinn Féin has tuk the opportunity to reshuffle [sic]???? Is this an acceptable standard of spoken English for Sinn Féin to set our young people? I suggest that parents should ask the DUP who are willing partners in the two-Party Fascist Coalition with Sinn Féin!
Susie
Carryduff
7 May, 2008
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I think the sooner Catriona Ruane leaves politics the better. But to move John O'Dowd is a joke. John O'Dowd shows outsiders looking in that Irish Politics is in disarray. Mark any rumbling in Stormont yet on Iris Robinson getting moved on to the Executive? I think it is only a matter of time until she does.
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