Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Green leader Eamon Ryan have made senior appointments to their Government Buildings teams, bringing back two staff with the Fianna Fáil-Green government during the financial crash.
NUI Galway Professor Alan Ahearne is to join Mr Martin's team as economic adviser, while Donal Geoghegan, who advised the independent members of the last government, has been appointed as joint chief of staff to Mr Ryan.
Both men were part of the Fianna Fáil-Green administration which governed through the economic crash and the bailout in 2010.
Mr Ahearne, an economist, was an adviser to the late Brian Lenihan, then minister for finance, and Mr Geoghegan served as programme manager for John Gormley, then leader of the Greens and minister for the environment.
After his last stint in government, Mr Ahearne returned to NUIG where he worked as director of the Whitaker Institute of Economics, and Professor of Economics. He has also served as an adviser to the Central Bank, and was a member of its board.
