Wide-ranging changes to the Fine Gael front bench will be announced today by the party leader, Mr John Bruton. Demonstrating confidence in his position as leader, he will promote the former Health Minister, Mr Michael Noonan, to the key post of Finance spokesman. The promotion takes Mr Noonan from the area of health where he has been involved in unrelenting controversy over the hepatitis C scandal.
The new front bench will meet for the first time today, convening at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. Following a brief discussion, Mr Bruton will hold a press conference to announce his senior spokespeople.
In a move seen within the party as "an effort to heal rifts", Mr Bruton is expected to name Mr Alan Shatter as spokesman on Health and Children. Mr Shatter was a persistent critic of Mr Bruton's leadership in the past and was not a member of the rainbow coalition government. Signals of his rehabilitation in Fine Gael came with his promotion to be chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee when the former Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, Mr Alan Dukes, replaced Mr Michael Lowry.
Mr Dukes is expected to be given the Environment and Rural Development portfolio, while the deputy leader of the party, Ms Nora Owen, is to shadow the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mrs O'Rourke.
In a surprise development, the Dublin South East TD, Ms Frances Fitzgerald, is to become the spokeswoman on Defence. Her background is a military one - her father, Mr Tadgh Ryan, was a colonel commanding the Military College in the Curragh.
Following his work in European affairs during the EU presidency, Mr Gay Mitchell has been rewarded with the role of Foreign Affairs spokesman. He is acknowledged to be well versed in European affairs, but sources in Fine Gael last night questioned his experience of the Northern Ireland aspect of the portfolio. Mr Bruton himself is expected to take direct responsibility for this area. Mr Bruton's younger brother, Richard, is to be the Education spokesman, while Mr Enda Kenny is likely to become spokesman for Arts , Heritage and the Islands.
The Offaly backbench TD, Mr Charlie Flanagan, who played a crucial role in getting his running mate, Mr Tom Enright, elected to the Dail last June, is expected to be rewarded with a portfolio. There was speculation that he has been asked to cover the Justice brief, particularly because of his legal background.