Ahern expected to name Haughey as junior minister

SEAN HAUGHEY, the son of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey, is widely expected to be promoted to the junior ministerial ranks later today.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said in December that he would name the replacement for Ivor Callely after the Dáil resumed today.

Mr Callely resigned from his post in December in the wake of a series of controversies.

The vacancy needs to be approved by the Cabinet. Though not on the agenda for today's meeting, it is likely that ministers will approve Mr Haughey's nomination.

The Taoiseach is expected to announce it in the Dáil later this afternoon.

One senior Government figure told the Irish Examiner last night that Mr Haughey was the likely nomination.

"Bertie Ahern likes to keep his own counsel.

"But his approach to promoting backbenchers has always been of an incremental nature," said the source.

"Secondly, there's been genuinely widespread support for Sean Haughey within Fianna Fáil.

"He is quiet but he is seen as an able person.

"He is also Dublin-based. Geography always plays a large part in the Taoiseach's consideration."

Mr Haughey has been the favourite to succeed his constituency colleague since Mr Callely reluctantly stood down from the junior position in Transport.

The two men are deputies for the same constituency Dublin North Central and the Government figure accepted last night that Mr Haughey's elevation would represent a double blow for Mr Callely.

Mr Haughey (44) has built a reputation for quiet efficiency.

A Dáil deputy since 1992, he is currently chairman of the backbench committee on environment.

Fianna Fáil currently hold two seats out of four in the constituency.

But under boundary changes, Dublin North Central will be reduced to three seats for the next general election, leaving one of the two FF seats under threat.

Some Fianna Fail backbenchers have also said privately they would like Síle de Valera, the junior minister in education, to step down.

Ms de Valera announced some months ago that she would retire at the end of this Dáil term.

However, she said at the time that the Taoiseach had asked her to continue in her role until the next election.