New team ‘will drive country forward’

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern laid down a blueprint yesterday for the final two years of the Government, promoting three new faces to the Cabinet and shuffling his remaining pack.

Mr Ahern led his colleagues into the Dáil claiming it would be the force that would drive the country forward, maintaining economic growth and high employment rates.

His new team will be expected to deliver a much-improved performance after disastrous local and European election results saw Fianna Fáil lose 7% of its vote.