NEXT WEEK Mr Bertie Ahern will have to focus his concerns on his new Ministers of State. He will use the occasion to apply balm to hurt souls. People like Michael Smith, of North Tipperary, will be rewarded with a portfolio such as Science and Technology. But, having been overlooked in Cabinet, this will hardly serve as much of a consolation.
Everybody hates the subs' bench and it was no different for Seamus Brennan, a former Minister thrice over, who almost did not make it to Bertie Ahern's new first team.
Mr Brennan's surprise retention as Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and Government Chief Whip did not make him dance for joy, but it entails the pleasures of full Cabinet stripes and a state car.
He was luckier than Tom Kitt, Brian Lenihan and Martin Cullen, who came within a hair's breadth of full Cabinet postings.
This was the second time Bertie Ahern had drawn up a Cabinet. The last occasion was in 1994, when he came within 11 hours of becoming Taoiseach. He had allocated posts, on paper at any rate, to a new team before the avenging angel, Dick Spring, put a halt to his gallop.
True to form, this time he kept his counsel and let nobody know in advance that he would, in fact, simply translate his front bench into a Cabinet - minus Michael Smith. Nobody, apart from his Tanaiste, Mary Harney, who was consulted throughout the process.
In the final analysis, Dublin, Leinster and Cork took 11 of the 15 seats, reflecting Mr Ahern's ambition to secure his base in the most electorally-volatile regions of the State.
After the dust settled on the general election Mary Harney met Bertie Ahern on five occasions to discuss the formation of the Cabinet. Their final agreement on how the Progressive Democrats would rank in the new administration was agreed a week ago and she was kept informed throughout about the remainder of the Cabinet appointments.
One of her absolute demands was the position of Tanaiste, a post which, in the words of Mary O'Rourke, had become an "expensive bauble".
"Getting Tanaiste was important from a morale point of view says one member of her party. "The Progressive Democrats were very conscious of the fact that, when it comes to your profile in Government, the optics of sitting beside the Taoiseach are important. Rather than being perceived as on the periphery, we would be centrally involved."
She also wanted a high-profile economic portfolio and, knowing that Finance was out of the question, was anxious to get Enterprise and Employment; Mr Ahern did not demur.
With the programme for government and the precise involvement of the PDs in Cabinet out of the way, Bertie Ahern turned his attention to filling the Fianna Fail positions in Government. He was, according to party sources, lobbied heavily by various groups seeking to have specific individuals included in the roll call.
By all accounts Mr Ahern's courtesy prevailed, but he dispensed little information and made up his own mind in the end. While all those in the final line-up could claim to have laboured in the vineyard, the cautious nature of his appointments surprised many in his own party.
Although he personally contacted putative Ministers by telephone to tell them of their inclusion, Mr Ahern waited until Thursday afternoon before calling them individually to his office to outline their briefs and future roles.
In recent days, as media speculation intensified on who would procure which portfolio, Mr Ahern is understood to have considered two names when debating who should have the critical Finance Ministry.
Charlie McCreevy had the edged in Mr Ahern's mind to take the most powerful position, after himself, in Cabinet. Lacklustre Budget speeches in the past two years had appeared to do little for Mr McCreevy's career prospects, but in recent times his image had prospered from a fresh burst of energy.
It is understood that Brian Cowen was also pencilled in by Mr Ahern as a possible runner for Finance. Colleagues say that the Laois-Offaly deputy, who managed to secure three seats in his constituency, would have been happy to take pole position in Cabinet. However, he was instead offered Health.
The decision to split the duties of Foreign Affairs between Ray Burke and David Andrews confounded political savants in Leinster House and beyond and forced a volte face within 24 hours. By last night, Mr Andrews had lost the title of "European Affairs" and also a proposed office in the Foreign Affairs Department.
The original move to give a Foreign Affairs dimension to Mr Andrews is believed to have been motivated by a dual wish on Mr Ahern's part to satisfy the shared desire of the two TDs for the post of Foreign Affairs and to ensure he had a ready substitute at lveagh House to stand in for Mr Burke on European matters. He also wanted to make his team in the Northern talks as strong as possible. In this regard Mr Andrews enjoys the confidence of the more republican wing of Fianna Fail.
The immediate loss of title comes as a double blow to Mr Andrews, who is now simply Minister for Defence. His ambition to run for the presidency has been dashed because of the tight voting arrangements in the Dail.
Unable to give his deputy leader, Mary O'Rourke, the title of Tanaiste, Mr Ahern wanted to compensate her with a decent portfolio. Being appointed to the Transport, Energy and Communications (to be renamed the Department of Public Enterprise) is said to have pleased her.