The casualties: The former minister for defence, Mr Michael Smith, last night held out the possibility that his political career was not over despite his demotion from the Cabinet by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern.
Mr Smith told RTÉ that Mr Ahern had been generous in his dealings with him and he acknowledged that the Taoiseach faced a very difficult task in reshuffling the Cabinet. The task involved a balancing of youth, experience and geographic concerns in the run-up to the next election, he said.
Although the former minister has been tipped as a possible successor to the Ceann Comhairle, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, he made no specific reference to the post yesterday.
Having made it clear in the weeks leading up to the reshuffle that he had no intention of walking away from active politics, Mr Smith indicated that he did not plan to retire immediately.
"You wouldn't know what would be up front yet. I could still be hanging around for a bit yet," he said.
His tone was in marked contrast to the signals from the camp of the former minister for transport, Mr Brennan, who is unhappy to be moving to Social and Family Affairs.
It is understood that Mr Brennan sees the move as a demotion and believes this was rooted in his programme of reform in the transport sector.
Although Mr Smith and Mr Brennan were the only casualties in the reshuffle, Mr Ahern sacked Dr Jim McDaid as minister of state for transport.
Dr McDaid said last night that his demotion had come as a serious disappointment. He was "a little baffled" to be the only junior minister to lose his job.
It was "difficult to take being dropped" when he was the only one to be dropped.
"Certainly this has come as a bitter blow," he said.
Dr McDaid said he met the Taoiseach before lunch yesterday. When Mr Ahern said he had a "difficulty with numbers", Dr McDaid asked the Taoiseach not to sack him.
Mr Ahern told Dr McDaid that he would reflect on the matter but phoned him shortly before 3 p.m. yesterday to say he would not be reappointed as a minister of state.
According Dr McDaid, the Taoiseach said: "I'm sorry, but it's not going to work out this time. I know you've been loyal in the past and I hope that will continue. But unfortunately there isn't room for you."
