Ahern tells ministers who’s in and who’s out

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern is thought to have completed his deliberations on the shape of the new Cabinet and has begun the process of informing ministers of their status.

Although the speculation that Tánaiste Mary Harney will become Health Minister in the reshuffle intensified over the weekend, some sources still maintained last night the Department of Education was Ms Harney’s preferred destination.

Mr Ahern is believed to have consulted with Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen and Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue to seek their guidance about his line-up.

The Taoiseach’s programme manager and top adviser, Gerry Hickey, also reportedly played a key role in the selection of the new Cabinet. According to Fianna Fáil sources, Mr Hickey was particularly concerned with ensuring there is no repeat of the calamities that dogged the Government over the past two years by ensuring key departments are run by ministers with a safe pair of hands.

“Gerry Hickey is in charge of H&S - the health and safety of the Cabinet. It is going to be a risk-free Cabinet,” a source said.

The destination of Health Minister Micheál Martin is also attracting a lot of attention, with the speculation that he will move to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, being forcefully dismissed by one Fianna Fáil source last night.

The differing opinions surrounding Ms Harney’s future post was described last night as a question of policy versus party.

While the Tánaiste’s policy advisers are thought to be keen on a move to health, Ms Harney’s political strategists are said to be less enthusiastic about the prospect.

Yet some Progressive Democrats sources were indicating at the weekend that Ms Harney was going to health.

Despite comments last week by the Tánaiste about the research budget remaining in the Department of Enterprise, Ms Harney is still being firmly tipped by Fianna Fáil sources to go to the Department of Education.

Unlike the selection of the Cabinet following the 1997 and 2002 general elections, Mr Ahern is not thought to be still chopping and changing in the final hours running up to the official announcement of the reshuffle in the Dáil on Wednesday. Last night, FF sources said Mr Ahern is unlikely to be persuaded to make last-minute decisions as he has finalised his line-up.

Nonetheless, there has been a great deal of comment about ministers going out of their way to save their necks.

“I know one particular person who didn’t take a break all summer,” said Senator Mary O’Rourke on RTÉ’s The Week In Politics.

Fianna Fáil TD Tony Killen told the Clare Champion: “Some people have been touting their cases.” Junior Minister Willie O’Dea told the Limerick Leader he had done nothing to try to promote himself.