We may give out about them, but we vote for them, we all can stand for election if we want to replace them, and by and large they do what they do because they think it will get them re-elected. On the form so far, who is shaping up to be the the Irish Politician of the Year?

By "Politician of the Year" I mean someone who has made a positive impact in the interest of the "common good" this year. This is not necessarily the same thing as a successful politician, in terms of promotion or popularity. Nominations are not restricted to elected politicians, but they must have stood for election.

My personal nomination is Joan Burton. I don't expect her to save the planet, but I am nominating her for her virtually single handed battle against the Banks Guarantee, with Labour being the only party to vote against it.

If we take nominations and discussion for a week, I suggest we then have a poll on the top 10, based on numbers of nominations received.

If you would like to also nominate the worst politician of the year, I will not be stopping you.

Up to three nominations per person: they must be clearly indicated as first, second or third. Reasons for nominations should be given.

Special Award: to the poster with the most persuasively written nomination

A list of all candidates and elected politicians here:

http://www.irishpoliticians.com/

Can we only nominate one ?

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

Can we only nominate one ?

A maximum of three: they must be clearly indicated as first, second and third, and will be allocated points accordingly. Reasons for nominations should be given.

Richard Bruton for being the only politician who understands economics in Dail Eireann.

Joe Higgins for continuing to articulate an alternative vision from outside Dail Eireann.

Slim Buddha wrote:

Richard Bruton for being the only politician who understands economics in Dail Eireann.

Joe Higgins for continuing to articulate an alternative vision from outside Dail Eireann.

Is that Bruton 1 and Higgins 2?

1. Richard Bruton for being consistent, clear, and making sense.
2. Joan Burton for consistently challenging the govt. on tax inequality an general economic negligence.
3. Leo Varadkar for not putting up with any gombeen shite.

Edit
Worst:

1. Bertie Ahern - No comment
2. Mary Harney - No Comment
3. John Gormley - for not dumping those damned machines...yet (not really worst, nomination to make a point)

So that would be the 3 coalition party leaders then.

1. richard bruton - points to the gaping holes in lenihan's economic forcasts and waffle.

2. joan burton - for, as cactus flowers mentioned above, attempting to prevent the blank cheque guarantee offered to the banks.

3. declan ganly, cant stand his policies but he has certainly has made a big impact on irish politics this year!

Ganley is a politician ??

cactus flower wrote:

Slim Buddha wrote:

Richard Bruton for being the only politician who understands economics in Dail Eireann.

Joe Higgins for continuing to articulate an alternative vision from outside Dail Eireann.

Is that Bruton 1 and Higgins 2?

No particular order, cactus, but just two for whom I retain a modicum of regard for the reasons stated. Possibly a politically incongruous choice in the context of Irish politics, a subject which, in my opinion, defies all logical analysis.

zakalwe wrote:

1. richard bruton - points to the gaping holes in lenihan's economic forcasts and waffle.

2. joan burton - for, as cactus flowers mentioned above, attempting to prevent the blank cheque guarantee offered to the banks.

3. declan ganly, cant stand his policies but he has certainly has made a big impact on irish politics this year!

Do we count ganley as a best or worst nomination?

I haven't yet nominated the worst Irish politician of the year, so here it is my personal nomination - Brian Cowen: for getting us into the mess we're in as Finance Minister, and for digging us in deeper as Taoiseach.

its a toss up for cowen and gormley.

cowen for fecking up the economy over the past 6 years and gormley for proving that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

tonys wrote:

Best Politician: no nomination, no one has exactly covered themselves in glory here.
Worst Politician: Too many to mention.
Now if there were an award for the politician with most mouth and least trousers, I have a complete list, but most of the leading candidates have already been mentioned on this thread.

Good idea tonys: there will be a special award for "Most Mouth-Least Trousers".

Richard Bruton.

johnfás wrote:

Richard Bruton.

There's an award for the most persuasively written nomination, johnfás. Your scores highly on brevity, but if you want to expand it, you may.

I thought the full stop pretty much did the job cactus .

I think he is one of the few politicians in Leinster House who demonstrates an actual understanding of the issues which present him within his remit and that thereafter he succintly puts across his view on the subkect. Other politicians might have an understanding but they rarely demonstrate it, most act dumb in order that they don't have to address the issues or take a stand. I think we need more politicians like Richard Bruton.

Young politician of the year I would give to Simon Coveney. Despite what some think, I am not sure of his leadership credentials. However, he is one of the most committed politicians to the issues which he deals with. This was particularly the case during his time as an MEP when he was human rights coordinator of the European People's Party. He is a necessary voice on human rights.

1. Joe Higgins - as Slim Buddha mentioned, he continues to fight for his principles and to articulate an alternative vision outside the Dáil. I used to agree with him, I no longer do, but I'd love to see him get back in next time along with a few of his colleagues.

2. John Gormley - I have to say I'm impressed by him and the Greens and how they have performed in government. They have acted like a good coalition party and stood by the government when it was attacked instead of throwing a tantrum and walking out; yet, at the same time, they have been consistent and effective in pushing their agenda and whether or not certain people want to see it this government has been much greener than past ones.

3. Bertie Ahern - we all miss him, and that includes you whether you want to admit it or not.

Just bringing forward the updated OP with some edits and links.

cactus flower wrote:

No - this is not a joke. We vote for them, we all can stand for election if we want to, and by and large they do what they do because they think it will get them re-elected. On the form so far, who is shaping up to be the the Irish Politician of the Year?

By "Politician of the Year" I mean someone who has made a positive impact in the interest of the "common good" this year. This is not necessarily the same thing as a successful politician, in terms of promotion or popularity. Nominations are not restricted to elected politicians, but they must have stood for election.

My personal nomination is Joan Burton. I don't expect her to save the planet, but I am nominating her for her virtually single handed battle against the Banks Guarantee, with Labour being the only party to vote against it.

If we take nominations and discussion for a week, I suggest we then have a poll on the top 10, based on numbers of nominations received.

Edit: If you would like to also nominate the worst politician of the year, I will not be stopping you.

Up to three nominations per person: they must be clearly indicated as first, second or third. Reasons for nominations should be given.

Special Award: to the poster with the most persuasively written nomination

A list of all candidates and elected politicians here:

http://www.irishpoliticians.com/

1. Eamon Ryan - He's in an important department and has got some ground on the terms attached to energy finds off the coast and he tends to keep a cool head on TV and a perpetual smile when all hysteria is breaking out around him and I think the country needs that. I think Gormley is also worth a nomination because he is starting small (with Monaghan planning etc.) and his heart is in the right place but I'm not nominating him now.

2. Batt O'Keefe - Again he kept his head cool when everyone was having a ciniption fit about the education cuts. Not that I agree with the cuts but this is about the best politicians and that means having to deal with shite under pressure and convince people that black is red.

3. Noel Dempsey - This guy is bulletproof. I think he'd deflect an anti-tank missile since Shannon - I'm not sure he's human at all. I still call him 'Dial-Up Dempsey' from the time when he was Minister for Brokeband but I think he should be renamed Iron Man.

Joe Higgins and Patsy McKenna deserve nominations too. Higgins for the reasons already mentioned and McKenna like Ganley for her conviction over Lisbon.

A Government man, Auditor.

Can someone please define trousers in this context. I am clear on mouth..

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

Can someone please define trousers in this context. I am clear on mouth..

Mouth=talk
Trousers=Action

johnfás being from Clare and not having something for FF is kinda like being gay, vegetarian or a well-fed chicken in Biafra

Auditor #9 wrote:

1. Eamon Ryan - He's in an important department and has got some ground on the terms attached to energy finds off the coast and he tends to keep a cool head on TV and a perpetual smile when all hysteria is breaking out around him and I think the country needs that. I think Gormley is also worth a nomination because he is starting small (with Monaghan planning etc.) and his heart is in the right place but I'm not nominating him now.

2. Batt O'Keefe - Again he kept his head cool when everyone was having a ciniption fit about the education cuts. Not that I agree with the cuts but this is about the best politicians and that means having to deal with shite under pressure and convince people that black is red.

3. Noel Dempsey - This guy is bulletproof. I think he'd deflect an anti-tank missile since Shannon - I'm not sure he's human at all. I still call him 'Dial-Up Dempsey' from the time when he was Minister for Brokeband but I think he should be renamed Iron Man.

Joe Higgins and Patsy McKenna deserve nominations too. Higgins for the reasons already mentioned and McKenna like Ganley for her conviction over Lisbon.

Great Auditor #9, but you've just driven a Hummer through The Rules of Nomination. The nominations are for the max. 3 politicians who have made the "most positive impact in the interest of the common good". You can also nominate the 3 who have done the most damage. So who should we count for what from your nomination?