Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte last night reshuffled his party front bench, giving key positions to Brendan Howlin, the man he defeated for the leadership in 2002, and to former leader Ruairí Quinn.
In the hastily-announced changes which followed queries from this newspaper, Mr Howlin becomes justice spokesman, replacing Joe Costello who moves to European affairs and defence. Mr Quinn becomes spokesman on enterprise and employment, a position in which he was once a minister.
Mr Rabbitte's announcement followed questions from The Irish Times to his office and to several party figures over reports that his plans to reallocate key positions had been deferred recently after one senior figure resisted a move.
A spokesman for Mr Rabbitte said last night that the leader had intended to announce changes at the end of this week. However once it became clear yesterday that this newspaper had heard changes were afoot, he brought it forward. He had no knowledge of reports from party sources that recent plans to move other senior figures had been abandoned following opposition from those individuals.
Joe Sherlock TD, who will be retiring from the Dáil at the next general election, had asked to be relieved of responsibility for the defence portfolio. This job was added to Mr Quinn's former post of European affairs to provide Mr Costello's new portfolio.
Mr Costello also becomes assistant party whip.
As a former justice spokesman, Mr Howlin has been moved back to give the party a high profile in the area before the election.
Mr Costello is seen as having a strong civil libertarian outlook in the justice brief, but he also received criticism from inside and outside Labour for his call for the resignation of Minister for Justice Michael McDowell immediately after the riots directed at the recent march by victims of republican violence.
Mr Quinn is contesting the general election in Dublin South East, and his move signals both his leader's wish to use his experience and Mr Quinn's wish to stay centrally active in politics.