The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, could be given a key co-ordinating role in European Union-related matters at the expense of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, if radical changes being considered by the Government are implemented.
Government sources have confirmed that the changes are under active consideration.
They also confirm that Ms Harney has expressed a strong interest in the proposed changes, which are causing alarm in a Department of Foreign Affairs still reeling from the unprecedented public airing of differences between the secretary-general of the Department, Mr Padraig MacKernan, and the Minister, Mr Andrews.
The proposals, only tentative as yet, arise out of discussions that EU leaders will have today and tomorrow at the informal EU summit in Portschach, Austria.
These talks on the future of the EU will include the possible reform of decision-making in the Union's powerful General Affairs Council (GAC).
On the margins of the summit, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, will meet the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, to review progress on decommissioning.
The GAC is run by the EU's foreign ministers, although its remit extends beyond foreign policy issues to a general co-ordinating function across all policy areas. This is particularly significant in the current internal budget negotiations on Agenda 2000.
The European Commission suggested at the Cardiff summit in June that the council, whose agendas are notoriously heavy, should split its workload between foreign policy and internal co-ordination issues, and that the latter should to a new council of deputy prime ministers.
Such a change would significantly shift the locus of EU policy away from foreign ministries, substantially reducing the cabinet influence of foreign ministers on key domestic issues. In response, the ministers have moved quickly to suggest improvements. The Austrian Foreign Minister, Mr Wolfgang Schussel, will tell leaders today that they have already reorganised the way the GAC handles its business, and that this makes more radical reform unnecessary. EU leaders may, however, relish the opportunity to trim the wings of foreign ministers.
When the Austrian Prime Minister and EU President, Mr Viktor Klima, mooted the idea on his visit to Dublin last week, the Tanaiste is understood to have expressed strong interest. Mr Ahern is understood to be willing to consider the idea.
