Ahern to announce long-awaited reshuffle
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will today announce his long-awaited cabinet reshuffle - the first step in a tough battle to win back the electorate.
His new team will be expected to deliver a much-improved performance after disastrous local and European election results saw Fianna Fáil lose 7% of its vote.
The shake-up is expected to be dramatic and all TDs have already been warned there is no room for complacency.
As the Dáil resumes for the autumn term, the battle lines are clearly drawn and all eyes firmly focused on the next general election, still two years down the line.
At 3.30pm Mr Ahern will lead the new cabinet into the Dáil in much the same way a new Government is introduced after an election. The gesture, if nothing else, highlights the Taoiseach’s determination that his changes really do represent a new beginning.
The reshuffle has been the source of endless gossip over the summer months but Mr Ahern has played his cards close to his chest.
Despite economic growth of 5%, low inflation and high employment rates, the cabinet which takes his Government into the autumn term is facing many uphill battles.
The privatisation of Dublin Bus, the sale of Aer Lingus and the break-up of Aer Rianta have all triggered widespread criticism.
Plans to decentralise some 10,000 civil servants outside Dublin, to scale down regional hospitals and to introduce national testing for primary school children have also proved controversial.
Mr Ahern will have had to juggle geography, popularity, loyalty and credibility in considering his new cabinet.
The departure of Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy to Brussels as EU Commissioner, the retirement of Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh from the front bench and the near-certain demotion of Defence Minister Michael Smith leaves plenty of room for manoeuvre.
There is just one certainty – that Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen will take up Mr McCreevy’s mantle in Finance.
Tánaiste, Mary Harney, is expected to be promoted from Enterprise, Trade and Employment to Health in what could be a straight swap with Micheál Martin.
Communications Minister Dermot Ahern has been widely tipped to take the Foreign Affairs portfolio, though he could be vying for position with Minister for Sports, Arts and Tourism John O’Donoghue.
Mr O’Donoghue is also a likely candidate to take over as Agriculture Minister.
Those touted for promotion from the junior racks include Chief Whip Mary Hanafin who could be promoted to Social Affairs or Education, and Ministers of State Dick Roche, Brian Lenihan and Willie O’Dea.
Mr Ahern is also expected to sack junior ministers he believes are not working hard enough.
The positions of the Ministers of State Jim McDaid and Síle de Valera, both demoted from the cabinet in the last reshuffle, look particularly tenuous as speculation mounted that they could both be relegated to the back benches.
The changes at junior level will be discussed when the new cabinet meets for the first time tonight and are expected to be announced tomorrow.
