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DESPITE WHAT YOU might think there are not that many former Fianna Fáil ministers looking to make a comeback at the next general election.
The party is slowly but surely recovering from its historic low result of 2011 but not all is rosy in the garden. It may be the largest party in local government after May’s local elections but Micheál Martin’s party had a disastrous outing in the European elections.
Several TDs, notably the party’s former deputy leader Éamon Ó Cuív, have expressed unease about Fianna Fáil’s “becalmed” position in the polls where it hovers around the low-to-mid 20s.
While several ex-ministers are angling for a comeback the party leadership is keen to give young, fresh faces a chance.
Nowhere was that more evident than in the ‘Battle of Blackrock’ earlier this year where former minister Mary Hanafin and new candidate Kate Feeney faced off and ended up winning a council seat each. But only one of them is likely to run for the Dáil at the next election. If both run there’s still only realistically one seat.
One former minister who isn’t running is Pat Carey. The former Dublin North West TD held three cabinet portfolios in the farcical final days of the Cowen administration and has no desire to make a comeback
“I am as happy as could be and very busy,” he told TheJournal.ie this week, adding that he does not think many of his other former ministerial colleagues would be “in the mix” for a comeback.
Carey said that while a lot of ex-ministers who could run are still relatively young they were a long time in politics.
“It’s like a death sentence,” he said. “I always felt you should get in young and get out young or get in old and get out old. You just run out of steam. A lot of younger people had to retire for a variety of reasons. Some of them are just now getting to know their families.”
So while the field is relatively small here are a few former ministers who could be in the mix for Fianna Fáil whenever the country next goes to the polls…
1. Conor Lenihan
The former junior minister and brother of the late Brian Lenihan, was adopting a “never say never” stance when asked about the chances of a political comeback last weekend. The ex-Dublin South West TD is working for the Sholkovo Foundation in Russia at the moment and indicated it may not be practical for him to be involved in politics again. But Lenihan keeps on top of political matters in Ireland and is occasionally spotted around Leinster House.
2. Mary Coughlan
“I’d have a lot of people who’d like me to go back,” the former tánaiste told RTÉ last month in a lengthy interview that was clearly organised with the intention of her dipping her toe in the waters to test the public mood. Coughlan lost her seat in Donegal South West in 2011 and would face an uphill battle to win it or even secure the Fianna Fáil nomination back. But it’s very clear that she’s thinking about it.
3. Mary Hanafin
After emerging from the ‘Battle of Blackrock’ with a council seat and becoming “all official again” in Fianna Fáil there’s no doubt that the former education minister has one eye on the Dáil. But winning the party nomination in Dún Laoghaire may prove difficult when the leadership has high hopes for her rival and fellow councillor Kate Feeney.
4. John O’Donoghue
As much as he might want to make a comeback, the former ceann comhairle and justice minister, is said to be “political toast” or at least that’s according to a party source who told the Irish Times in June that O’Donoghue had little chance of winning the Fianna Fáil nomination for the new Kerry five-seat constituency.
O’Donoghue resigned as ceann comhairle in 2009 in a storm of controversy over his expenses claims while Arts Minister. That could hinder his chances of a comeback. In addition he qualified as a barrister in July – a further indication that much as he might like to run for the Dáil again he is keeping his options open in the event he is prevented from doing so.
5. Seán Haughey
The son of former taoiseach Charlie and ex-junior minister won a seat on Dublin City Council in May’s local elections with a credible performance in the Clontarf ward. He insisted at the time he has given no thought to running for the Dáil but his name is sure to be in the mix come nomination time.
SUSI is a complete and utter shambles and lacks transparency, how could minister Quinn of got it so wrong? It is near impossible to get through to them by phone and when you do get through the operators seem to know very little, they won’t reply to you by e-mail and they are consistently making wrong decisions on grant amounts awarded! Frustrating would be an understatement :/
The online application system is a joke…
Why do we need a committee to investigate this ? Why does the minister not just contact SUSI and ask them what the problem is ? It would take one phone all and get results alot faster !
There are students who are desperate for this grant money
The problem is that for every member of staff there are 1000 grant applications. The workforce needs to be doubled if not trebled to cope, students are facing not being able to sit there Xmas exams because of it and its a joke!
Right on Mary! The “person in charge of that area in the department” should simply be asked why he ought not to be fired and forego his pensions. It would happen across the Atlantic.
@ Daryl, yes that’s right 1000 applications per staff member, and they have been at it since August. So if a staff member processed 20 per day they would have processed half the applicants by now. What have they been doing for the last 16 weeks?
It’s ridiculous that the application questions are so loosely posed, that when questions are answered honestly, it means that a re-application has to take place. The application was not thought out. It’s 2012. Not every family is a nuclear family. Separations and divorces may have taken place. Not all applicants have contact with both parents and yet any situation outside the norm of a nuclear family throws the system and operators into disarray. In my own case a re-application was necessary as a direct result of this. I hope this, being the first year of SUSI, is a teething problem and will not reoccur in future years. We’re living on Fraggle Rock …
There’s thousands of people on the dole. An extra few pound every week and these people would love a fee days work, clearing the backlog before Christmas….
A committee is going to meet to investigate why 66,000 applications cannot be processed by 65 people? For real?
The delays are (probably) officially sanctioned to deter some applicants from going on to Third Level. Pity we don’t have a breakdown of the numbers to see who these ‘delays’ are affecting.
I love conspiracy theorists. It’s never down to a plain old cluster f**k!!
@ Reg Just pure coincidence then that a Government strapped for cash should delay paying out grants!
This situation mirrors the same problems( inability for citizens to access states services and funds) that exists in the Central Rent Allowance Office. By making the application process require multiple documents from multiple state agencies it will become impossible to for applicants to meet the deadlines required, and so kick the payment day way down the road. The excuse given, that they are waiting on documentation to “complete” applications is a smoke screen. What documentation are they waiting on? What agencies provide these documents?
apply in June so that we can process ur applications quicker thats a joke every other year people applied in august and were granted or denied by the end of september but this year with the “better” system in place i applyed in june heard back in july to send in forms asked for more forms filled out a final acceptance form did it all and still waiting to hear back on weather im have been granted it or denied its not fair on us students us and our families are suffering because of it
65 staff, 66,000 applications since june, approx 10 applications per day per staff member and they would be done by now, WTF are these staff paid for if they can’t average 10 applications a day ?
I am having to work 20 hours a week and just to get me through a full time course
So?
Yeah Daragh i had too. Here is my story..and its short. I started in college in 2001 l needed money, l got a job.
I worked more than 20 hours a week to pay for my undergrad. It’s not gonna fund itself.. even with a grant.
I know I am/was not the only person who has to work like that to get through college. I am sorry I guess that I am finding it extremely hard to try juggle everything. (not that i am the only one finding it hard). My point is that if the grant system would have worked like it has done for all my friends who went through the old system then I would not be struggling. Just carry on I guess.
3 people in my class alone waiting in this
Epic Fail!
Just hire some TCO’s to work like trojans while the full time CO’s have their morning gossip.
This is a joke.. I’m still waiting.. and my fees are due to be paid soon. Nervous wreck..
Not to forget those of us waiting to get our fees paid! My college won’t issue my library card until they’re paid so you can imagine the hassle without the card!
3 people in my class alone waiting in this
The CDVEC responsible for SUSI has a 5.5 million budget per year. Not exactly the best investment. There is huge distress on socioeconomically disadvantaged students and families and worryingly many may drop out! Great progress has been made over 15 years in increasing participation of this group hopefully this debacle won’t undermine this
is it too late to apply for the grant or where can i get more details on it?
you can still apply but at the rate it’s going you probably won’t hear back until after you’ve completed your degree.
That’s 5.5 million just to run SUSI!
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