The Qango thread

[sammymaguire]

Are you missing a u in Quango? It's all about looking after your buddies as much as you can

I think it doesn't have a 'U' as it is an acronym like Qantas. But I am open to correction.

You're right Muppet..Quasi Autonomous Non Governmental Organisation

Off Wikipedia:
Quango or qango is an acronym (variously spelt out as quasi non-governmental organisation, quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation, and quasi-autonomous national government organisation) used notably in the United Kingdom, Ireland and elsewhere to label an organisation to which government has devolved power. In the United Kingdom the official term is "non-departmental public body" or NDPB.

Whatever way its spelt, they are still feathering their own nests in some kind of legal way

[magpie seanie]

I'd just like to give the NRA a salute today for the great work they are doing. Its like dancing on ice in cars up here in the North West. Its ok though - the salt is in Cairo and will be here for when the bad weather hits the important parts of the country. 

[muppet]

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ff-stuffing-quangos-with-cronies-during-its-last-days-in-office-2498058.html

FF stuffing quangos with cronies during its last days in office
Ministers appoint party insiders to roles on key state boards

By Nick Webb and Shane Ross
Sunday January 16 2011
THE Fianna Fail-led Government is stuffing quangos and state boards with political cronies and insiders in its last weeks of office.

In an unprecedented spree of patronage, ministers have appointed Fianna Fail councillors and supporters to often lucrative part-time boardroom positions.

In the last two weeks, a series of appointments has been rubberstamped by ministers.

Leitrim FF councillor Mary Bohan has joined the board of the Health and Safety Authority, which paid its board members €97,067 in 2009. She was also appointed by Fianna Fail to the Central Fisheries Board and has served, unpaid, on the Fire Services Council.

Donegal FF councillor David Alcorn has been appointed to the National Roads Authority, which paid its directors a total of €98,000 in 2008.

Former Louth Fianna Fail councillor and activist Pearse Hanrahan has been put onto the board of the Railway Procurement Agency, which paid its board members €13,000 last year.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey -- who is to stand down at the forthcoming General Election -- appointed both men to the key infrastructure jobs.

Fianna Fail party trustee Rich Howlin was reappointed as chairman of the National Building Agency, which paid €11,970 last year. Mr Howlin, a trustee of the party since 1993, is a former director of Coillte. Financier and Fianna Fail loyalist Dan McGing was appointed as chairman of the Drug Treatment Centre Board. The former ACC banker was once the party's auditor.

Former Progressive Democrat local-election candidate Rita Hayes has been put on the board of the National Treatment Purchase Fund with a three-year term. Board members are paid €7,695.

Ms Hayes was appointed to the post by her former Progressive Democrat constituency colleague Mary Harney.

Former Fianna Fail spin doctor Jackie Gallagher is one of the ministerial nominees to join the board of Trinity College. The post is unpaid.

Some 291 plum jobs on state boards are to be filled by ministers by the end of February as the Government bestows its final gifts to its supporters before the expected decimation in the General Election.

Fianna Fail is utterly shameless when it comes to appointing party cronies to state boards.

In recent years, former Fianna Fail general-secretary Pat Farrell has been appointed to the boards of the Health Service Executive, VHI and Dormant Accounts Board.

Former Fianna Fail senator Aidan Eames sits on the board of An Bord Gais, which paid him €11,753 in 2009. He was appointed to the board of the nationalised Anglo Irish Bank last year.

Former FF Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh was appointed by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan to BoI. He is chairman of the bloodstock quango Horse Sport Ireland. The board of the ESB includes former FF councillor Gary Keegan, while the loss-making Dublin Airport Authority has former FF minister Gerry Collins on its board.

CIE's board includes Paul Kiely, one of Bertie Ahern's closest allies, as well as Neil Ormond, who comes from a staunch Fianna Fail background.

But Fianna Fail is not alone in this regard. Progressive Democrat party trustee Brendan Malone has also served on the boards of the Dublin Docklands Authority and the Railway Procurement Agency, while another former party loyalist, Paul Mackay, sits on the board of the IDA.

The Green Party has also seen a number of key insiders parachuted on to state boards during its term in office.

- Nick Webb and Shane Ross

[muppet]

http://www.con-telegraph.ie/news/news-extra/2196-fees-a-total-misrepresentation

Fees 'a total misrepresentation'
THURSDAY, 03 FEBRUARY 2011 13:01 WRITTEN BY TOM KELLY
Six elected members of Mayo County Council were paid €35,098 for their roles in chairing the authority's strategic policy committees.
Two of the committees only met on three times, three of them met four times while the remaining one convened on five occasions. The average cost of chairing a meeting was an astonishing €1,526.
According to the chairman of the cultural, education, heritage and corporate affairs SPC, Councillor Al McDonnell, who received €6,048, it is 'a total misrepresentation to suggest the members in question were only paid for chairing meetings.'
The Castlebar-based representative elaborated: "I would estimate that chairing the committee meetings is only five per cent of the work involved.
"We are consistently involved in driving our objectives and this consists of holding many unrecorded meetings with council officials, staff members, agencies, voluntary and community groups.

"To paint the impression that I got paid €1,512 for the four SPC meetings I chaired in 2010 is very misleading.
"The task of heading an SPC is a very challenging one and I, for one, take it very seriously indeed. A day does not pass without me having to do some work on behalf of the committee and I am regularly attending unrecorded meeting in Arás an Chontae.
"The public will see the fruits of our work over the coming months when we reveal the details of a number of exciting tourism initiatives."
The chairman of the water supply and sewerage SPC, Councillor Eugene Lavin, was paid €5,933 and his committee met three times during the past year.

He stated: "The chairmanship is a statutory position and I would not be opposed to the payment made to chairmen being reviewed.
"But I believe SPCs have a major role to play in the development of the county. The establishment of Mayo as a major walking centre was instigated by the work of former councillor Paddy McGuinness during his term as an SPC chairman.
"The current chair of the Planning and Economic Development SPC, Councillor Michelle Mulherin, is making huge inroads in the field of renewable energy. You cannot put a value on it.

"I accept a number of SPC members believe they don't serve a purpose. But I have seen the fruits of a number of SPCs endeavours over the past seven years. They have a role to play and, from my perspective, there is much more involved than chairing meetings."
Councillor Peter Flynn, chair of the Environmental Policy and Agriculture SPC, was paid €5,833. His committee met three times.
Councillor Eddie Staunton, chair of the Housing SPC, received €5,850. The committee met four times during 2010.
Councillor Michelle Mulherin, chair of the Planning and Economic Development SPC; was paid €5,800. Her committee met five times.
Councillor Jarlath Munnelly, chair of the Roads and Transportation SPC, met 4 times. He received €5,633.
According to a council spokesman, there was no case during 2010 when an SPC meeting had to be adjourned because of the absence of a quorum.
Councillor Staunton was paid €7,500 for his work as chairman of the County Development Committee. It met five times last year.
Councillor Joe Mellett and Councillor Al McDonnell were each paid €3,500 for serving on the council's audit committee which met three times.

[muppet]

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/fas-staff-get-70-days-leave-to-ease-into-retirement-2837818.html

FAS staff can take 70 days' annual paid leave and holidays in each of the two years before they retire -- and are now battling to cling on to the perk.

The controversial scheme was designed to allow staff to "acclimatise" to impending retirement.

The Irish Independent has learned of the special leave allowance after management at the defunct body was forced to yield to union pressure when they tried to end the practice last month.


SIPTU FAS branch organiser Brendan O'Brien said that the union was open to a "buyout" of the pre-retirement entitlements.