In one swoop, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has attempted to neutralise his "opposition within" and to quell dissatisfaction in the ranks of his own deeply traumatised party. Ironically, the resignation of his foreign affairs minister, Mr Ray Burke, has in a sense worked to the Taoiseach's advantage, since it provides him with the opening to promote figures who might be identified as at odds with his leadership.
Yesterday, he copper-fastened his own position and moved to appease lingering disgruntled members of the parliamentary party. In spite of this, sources in Fianna Fail say that a significant rump of unhappy politicians still persists. The Taoiseach's elevation yesterday of the Galway East TD, Mr Noel Treacy, means that one of the key politicians from the so-called country and western wing of the party has been drawn into the junior ranks of government.
Contrary to expectations that he might pluck one of the bright young backbenchers - such as Eoin Ryan or Brian Lenihan - from obscurity, he went straight to Galway East and chose a deputy seen as a key figure in the anti-leadership rump of the party.
Promotion of a non-conformist is seen within the party as a double-edged sword, and its effects are short-term. Mr Ahern picked Mr Treacy, not a loyalist like Mr Micheal Kitt, from Galway East, and the policy of rewarding a dissident while overlooking a resolutely faithful TD could well demonstrate to others that it pays to snap at the leader's heels from time to time.
Continuing the consolidation of his leadership position, Mr Ahern has also promoted the Minister of State for Science and Technology, Mr Michael Smith, widely regarded as a stalwart supporter of Albert Reynolds in his effort to secure the party's nomination for the Presidency.
Awarding the Foreign Affairs portfolio to Mr Andrews is seen as an effort to assuage two major recent disappointments suffered by the veteran TD. Mr Andrews's ambitions for Foreign Affairs were frustrated when Ray Burke got the portfolio when Mr Ahern chose his Cabinet in June. The Taoiseach also sought an assurance from him that he would not enter the contest for a presidential nomination. This was on the grounds that victory at the Aras would lead to an unwinnable by-election in Dun Laoghaire and destabilise the Government. As it happens, the Taoiseach has been landed with a by-election anyway, in Dublin North, that might prove almost as unwinnable as a contest in Dun Laoghaire. However, in spite of yesterday's moves, a group remains that, according to sources, feels excluded from power in the party. A large percentage of the parliamentary party members who voted for Albert Reynolds in his quest for a nomination on September 16th are thought to fall into this category; it is estimated that about 35 of the 48 Reynolds votes came from TDs.
Some residual unease at the leadership's treatment of Mr Reynolds persists, though a win by Prof Mary McAleese, as predicted in the opinion polls, would go some way towards easing this. Meanwhile, no criticism of the leadership was expressed at yesterday's parliamentary party meeting, where the Taoiseach outlined the circumstances surrounding the dramatic events of "the bruising few days" that culminated in the resignation of Ray Burke from seat and Cabinet. He had, he insisted, made every effort to ensure that "due process and fairness" would apply to Mr Burke.
"He was sad, even angry, that it did not apply to him," said the Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan afterwards.
In his 15-minute address, Mr Ahern "made it clear to colleagues that the Progressive Democrats had no hand, act or part in this [resignation] . . . they did not seek his resignation." According to party spokesmen, the Taoiseach was "supported all the way". No debate followed his address, though the meeting was allowed time, if it wished, to take contributions from the floor. Instead, it turned its attention to health issues - hospital waiting lists and the care of the elderly. Privately, however, as Fianna Fail attempts to restore itself in the wake of another round of trauma and upheaval, sources say that dissent remains, though it may not have a focal point.
In the words of one TD: "We are interested now in keeping the ship afloat."