Speculation is mounting that the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, may replace the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, with the former Labour minister, Mr Peter Mandelson, writes Rachel Donnelly from London.
Mr Blair's cabinet reshuffle is expected towards the end of this month. Mr Mandelson's camp is busy promoting his qualities, pointing to his "drive and energy" in negotiations.
His supporters insist his return to the cabinet six months after he resigned after it was revealed he had accepted a loan from a fellow minister would not be premature. But the Northern Ireland post, they say, would not be so much a reward for Mr Mandelson as a penance.
Mr Mandelson faces competition from Dr Mowlam's Northern Ireland Minister, Mr Paul Murphy. Well-liked by the unionists, Mr Murphy's considerable experience in Northern Ireland would appear to make him the likelier choice.