The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, is on the point of promoting the Sligo TD, Mr John Ellis, to the chairmanship of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, political sources said last night.
The promotion of Mr Ellis will complete his rehabilitation within Fianna Fáil, five years to the month since he resigned the chairmanship of the Oireachtas agriculture committee after it emerged that National Irish Bank had written off some €308,546 of his debts in 1989.
It was also revealed at the Moriarty tribunal that Mr Charles Haughey had cleared separate debts of €33,013 for Mr Ellis.
Mr Haughey helped Mr Ellis because he was threatened with bankruptcy after the collapse of his meat business, putting him at risk of disqualification from the Dáil under the 1923 Electoral Act.
This would have put Fianna Fáil's coalition with the PDs at risk, because the two parties had a majority of only one.
The revelations angered farmers in the north-west, who were owed €380,921 when the meat business collapsed.
Mr Ellis later made a settlement with the farmers. The TD's promotion fills a position vacated by the newly elected MEP for Dublin, Mr Eoin Ryan. Positions vacated by newly promoted junior Ministers in Mr Ahern's reshuffle of the Cabinet last September will also be filled next week.
Such jobs carry an allowance of some €16,000 in addition to a TD's annual salary. While certain Fianna Fáil TDs are said to be increasingly frustrated at the Taoiseach's failure to fill these posts, Mr Ahern is now expected to inform the Dáil of the appointments next Tuesday.
Other TDs in line for promotion include Mr Seán Haughey, son of Mr Charles Haughey, who is likely to receive the chairmanship of the environment committee.
Last year Mr Seán Haughey expressed frustration that he had reached only the "dizzy heights" of a committee vice-chairman in almost 20 years in the Oireachtas.
In addition, the Laois TD, Mr John Moloney, is likely to become chairman of the health committee.
Mr Moloney is currently deputy chairman of the committee, whose chairmanship has been vacant since Mr Batt O'Keeffe became a junior Minister.
The chairmanship of the education and science committee is likely to go to the Cork TD, Mr Michael Moynihan, replacing Mr Tony Killeen.
The co-chairmanship of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body will go the Dublin TD, Mr Pat Carey, who will replace Mr Brendan Smith.
In other changes expected next week, the Carlow TD, Mr M.J. Nolan, will be nominated as the Fianna Fáil member of the Oireachtas commission.
Appointees to the deputy chairmanship posts on the committee include the Limerick TD, Mr Peter Power, who will move up in the transport committee. The Dublin TD, Mr Michael Mulcahy, will become deputy chairman of the foreign affairs committee.
