Having made minimal change to the composition of his Cabinet last week, Bertie Ahern has moved to freshen up Fianna Fáil's image in Government, reward ability and hard work and exert pressure on some senior colleagues, by appointing six Ministers of State from his backbenches. For a leader who has specialised in extreme political caution, it represented something of a revolution.
By engaging in such lavish patronage, the Taoiseach now heads up a Government composed of 15 Ministers and 20 Ministers of State. More than one-third of the Coalition's supporters hold office. Three new positions as Minister of State will be created by way of amending legislation. And the former leader of the Green Party, Trevor Sargent, has been given responsibility for food and horticulture, with an emphasis on organic production.
The ambition and ability of those nominated from the Fianna Fáil benches is beyond doubt, but valid questions can be asked about whether there is a need for 20 Ministers of State and whether they can be gainfully employed. Mr Ahern has referred to a growing burden of work because of an extensive policy agenda and legislative programme. Management pressures can always be used to justify new positions, but such an approach fails to convince in present circumstances.
Grumblings of dissatisfaction will certainly be muted by these Ministerial appointments. And because a large number of lucrative positions as chairmen and vice-chairmen of Oireachtas committees remain to be filled, discipline is likely to be maintained among those TDs who have been disappointed. Mr Ahern has shaped his Government with a five-year timespan in mind and has held out the prospect of a mid-term reshuffle in order to encourage continuing loyalty and application by his Ministers. Two ministers of state in the last government, Noel Treacy and Frank Fahey, were demoted, while a former junior minister, Micheal Kitt, was reappointed. The promotion of five Fianna Fáil backbenchers, Pat Carey, Billy Kelleher, John McGuinness, Jimmy Devins and Máire Hoctor, reflected a mixture of reward for hard work, constituency considerations and a determination to pre-empt dissent.
The appointments of Ministers of State at this time came as a surprise because the practice has been to make a formal announcement to the Dáil. A special Cabinet meeting approved the Taoiseach's decision to increase the number of Ministers of State and ratified his nominations in the afternoon. The names were then released.
This is the first time in 10 years the Progressive Democrats have not been represented at junior ministerial level. Outgoing ministers Tim O'Malley and Tom Parlon failed to be re-elected.
There is a good mixture of experience and fresh faces in the Taoiseach's nominations. Fianna Fáil supporters will be especially gratified that the imbalance of party representation at Cabinet level has been put right.