Transport Minister 'to be named next week'

[PaulM]

Originally Posted by breakingnews.ie

07/02/2006 - 19:54:40

A successor to former Junior Transport Minister Ivor Callely will probably be announced next week, it emerged tonight.

Mr Callely resigned from office on December 8 following a number of controversies.

A decision on a new appointment from the Fianna Fáil backbenches has been expected at every Cabinet meeting since the Dáil returned on January 25.

However, a Government spokesperson said after today’s Cabinet meeting: “The Taoiseach didn’t want to make the decision while the Tánaiste is out of the country. It will probably be next week.”

Tánaiste Mary Harney is currently in Canada on Health Department business.

North Dublin TDs Sean Haughey and Jim Glennon are believed to be the front runners for Mr Callely's position.

Mr Callely had special responsibility for traffic management issues in Dublin and the major cities, road haulage and the Irish Aviation Authority.

He resigned his cabinet post in December after it emerged that a building contractor involved in public contracts had painted his house for free in the early 1990s.

It was also revealed that Mr Callely had offered to personally buy a new car for one of his aides in a failed attempt to retain him.

I wonder if this one can live up to 'the engine'?

[Donal Quinn]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0214/politics.html

"In other changes, Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher is to move to the Department of Transport."

Is this good or irrelevant

[Mark Gleeson]

So the guy in charge of Dublin transport is not living in Dublin great just great thats all we need

[Kevin K Kelehan]

By all accounts a safe pair of hands; but given his Donegal base he is a poor choice in my opinion as the minister with responsibility for 'Dublin Transport' given that Donegal is one of only 3 Counties without a passenger rail service and an understanding of rail transport is critical to the Dublin Transport solution. We now have two Ministers for 'Road Transport' as Pat the Cope will have more interest in pot hole relief schemes than a Luas or Dart extensions

[PaulM]

Originally Posted by breakingnews.ie

Marine Minister Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher was today appointed to succeed Ivor Callely in the Transport Department while Meath TD Mary Wallace has been surprisingly promoted as junior minister at the Department of Agriculture and Food, it was confirmed.

Ms Wallace will fill the vacancy created by the switch of Wexford TD John Browne to the Mr Gallagher’s previous post in Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

The new appointments caused surprise as it had been speculated that loyal Government backbencher, Dublin North Central TD Sean Haughey would receive a junior ministry.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern made the announcements in a brief statement to the House before he replied to written Opposition questions.

He said: “I wish to formally announce for the information of the House that the Government has today appointed Deputy Mary Wallace to be Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food. Deputy Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher is to be Minister of State at the Department of Transport and Deputy John Browne is to be Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.”

The announcement was met with brief applause in the Dáil chamber.

Spot on.

[CSL]

the move is over the fisheries row.

[Kevin K Kelehan]

It just shows that no-one in this government is expected to make the right decision where it may cost them votes.

[Kevin K Kelehan]

I've got it now Pat the Cope has been brought in to sort out that giant water feature known as the Dublin Port Tunnel; how could I have overlooked the clever play by Bertie to bring in a 'Marine Expert' to sort out this most welcome project.

Port Tunnel still leaking, footage shows

15 February 2006 09:12
Leaks at Dublin's Port Tunnel are continuing despite an earlier commitment from the city council that the problem would be resolved by last month.

RTÉ News has seen new footage taken by an insider which shows that six weeks after the original issue was highlighted, the tunnel continues to leak.

Dublin City Council says over the past weeks preparatory work has taken place to allow the repairs to begin.

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Italian specialists responsible for installing waterproof membranes have returned to Dublin.

The council says the work will take place at the expense of the contractors. It stresses this will not delay the rest of the work on the tunnel.

But it has not committed itself to a timetable to fix the leaks. It also stresses there is no safety issue.

The original problem occurred when it emerged the concrete was too thin on parts of the tunnel's roof. When contractors tried to remove it they accidentally burst a waterproof membrane.

[Thomas J Stamp]

68 days without a junior minister. Why bother appointing anyone at all?