News is spreading that Isolde Goggin the current chairperson of ComReg is resigning. An "odds on" favourite to take her place is Mike Byrne who currently holds a position of commissioner with ComReg.
Not a role to be taken lightly, Mike faces stepping into the shoes of a talented and intelligent person who has struggled with the legislative and bureaucratic red tape that hampers ComReg on a day to day basis. Under Isolde’s stewardship we have seen Ireland continue to lag behind in Broadband tables, the LLU process continually tied up, a major telecoms provider almost go bust because they thought ComReg could do its job, and a growing perception of ComReg's inadequacy.
Talk about a poisoned chalice. And just to make Mike’s prospects a little bleaker his political master in the form of Noel Dempsey, continues to spout the party line “It’s a regulatory matter” anytime he is confronted with a telecoms issue. In fact maybe someone should buy Mike flak jacket. After all that seems to be what the Department of Communications likes to use ComReg for. Deflecting flak from the Minister, as he fiddles while broadband Ireland burns, seems to be ComReg’s primary function. Mind you, the minister will soon be able to change his “It’s nothing to do with me” mantra to “It’s not my job” after the election and cabinet seats are reshuffled.
Maybe Mike could reflect on the 35 questions asked of the minister in the 2006 Oireachtas report as he ponders how best to steer ComReg through the political and legislative reefs it now faces.
Taking up the reigns of a job, project or organisation that is in a mess is usually a good career move if the person you are replacing was clearly incompetent. Taking up the reigns when the person was generally well respected and competent is not known for its career enhancing aspects. In fact it sometimes results in early retirements, sudden sideways moves and reallocation to less hospitable locations. On the other hand civil servants leaving to pursue private sector jobs have always been well looked after by the very people they dealt with in the course of their duty. It will be interesting to see where Isolde pops up next.
No doubt Mike will be watching equally expectantly. Supposedly the Civil Service will watch as well under new rules. According to the code of conduct which became operable last year, civil servants now have to get the approval of the outside appointments board before taking up any appointment.
The approval process itself is shrouded in a bit of mystery, bit like the job application process for ComReg commissioner.
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Mike, you know what you have to do: sack everyone, then sack yourself. Make it your way of giving two fingers to your incompetent boss.
Is it possible for an Acting Commissioner (he still is) to be Chairperson of Comreg or does that have to be a proper commissioner of which there is only one now , John Doherty .??? and John was already chair before .
Who gets the casting vote or can an acting commissioner vote twice, once as acting commissioner with the same standing as a full commissioner and then again as chair , why should an acting commissioners vote count for the same as a full commissioners vote before the acting commissioner casts the chairmans vote as acting commissioner but full chair ???
Are they going to act another functionary up or advertise a commissionership one wonders, or does it matter any more. Does that person as a proper full commissioner become more senior than an acting commissioner even if the acting commissioner is also chair ??
Is there any sentient being left in the DCMNR ??
Can Dempsey legally make these appointments from Vietnam where he currently is ??