The Taoiseach has moved quickly to attempt to heal open wounds in the Fianna Fail party by promoting three of Mr Albert Reynolds's camp to Government. Amid bitter recriminations in the Dail about the reasons for Mr Ray Burke's resignation, Mr Ahern appointed Mr David Andrews as Minister for Foreign Affairs. He switched Mr Michael Smith from the junior ranks to become Minister for Defence. And he gave Mr Noel Treacy the important portfolio of Minister of State for Science and Technology.
The expected reshuffle was overshadowed, however, by heated charges across the floor of the Dail, releasing the rancour over Mr Burke's sudden departure from politics, and creating the most bitter political atmosphere for years.
In a bid to contain the anger in his own ranks about the loss of Mr Burke's seat, the Taoiseach went to considerable pains to justify his own political judgment in appointing him to the Cabinet. In choosing Mr Burke as Minister for Foreign Affairs, he said, "I had good reason to believe that I had picked the right man for the job and I make no apologies for that."
No one had produced any evidence to date to show that Mr Burke consciously or wittingly broke any rules.
He asserted several times throughout his speech: "I appointed Deputy Ray Burke as Minister for Foreign Affairs because I believe he was the best qualified for the job."
Mr Ahern rejected Mr John Bruton's accusation that "my knowledge of certain matters" was in any way responsible for the events leading up to the resignation.
Accepting an unsolicited gift of £30,000, of which less than half was retained for his personal campaign, was certainly "imprudent", Mr Ahern continued, but a few weeks ago almost no one considered it a hanging offence. "I was not aware of the letter written within three days of the contribution, which has been referred to the new inquiry. It has yet to be shown that the letter, which is open to an entirely innocent construction, has any connection with the payment."
Mr Ahern then asserted that Mr Burke's political career was ended "by Deputy Bruton and his likes, not by me. I hope he is proud of his handiwork and that he never comes to a similar untimely political end". He wondered if all Mr Bruton's actions in government would survive the intense scrutiny that had been focused on Deputy Burke.
Mr Bruton and Mrs Nora Owen strenuously denied an insinuation by the Taoiseach that they had leaked a Department of Justice report on Mr Burke's involvement in the passports-for-investment scheme to The Irish Times last week. Mr Bruton threw down a challenge to Mr Ahern: "Was it not a member of the Taoiseach's own party?"
The Fine Gael leader charged the Taoiseach with knowing for many months, if not for many years, about all the matters which brought Mr Burke under pressure in recent weeks. Mr Ahern had all the knowledge he needed but none of the judgment to apply it. "That is the only reason why Mr Burke has had to go through such a painful and prolonged process over the past month or so," he said.
Mr Bruton wondered if the country's interest was served by maintaining in high office any of the Ministers who were intimately and knowingly involved in and had political responsibility for operating, sustaining and defending the Haughey system of government.
Summing up his position on RTE last night, the Taoiseach said he would like to assure people outside the Dail that "what I am trying to do is to clean up the past. I know people say that I don't want to move forward, that I am part of the people who were there 30 years ago. I am not". "There is one thing I can't do - I can't change the past. I can change the practices and procedures," the Taoiseach said.
The newly appointed Ministers received their seals of office from the Presidential Commission in Aras an Uachtarain last night.
Mr Andrews was first appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in Mr Reynolds's first Government. On the nomination of his Government last June, Mr Ahern had intended that he would work "under the direction of" Mr Burke. Mr Michael Smith was Minister for the Environment in Mr Reynolds's government. He only made it to junior rank last June.
Mr Noel Treacy, a former junior minister, was one of Mr Reynolds's lieutenants in the campaign for the Fianna Fail presidential nomination.
