TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has missed an opportunity to define more clearly his leadership style and authority. He has imposed himself by making sweeping changes in the Government's junior ministerial team but has left unchanged an ad-hoc structure in the second tier of government. His predecessor increased the number of junior ministers to 20 last June by creating three new portfolios to serve a short-term party political need.
Mr Cowen has done little to alter matters: either by reducing the number of Ministers of State or redefining their role in government by designating clear responsibilities and precise functions. Just six of the 20 ministers that Mr Bertie Ahern chose will now continue in their original posts. Mr Cowen has reshuffled a further eight junior ministers and given them new responsibilities. He has dropped three others and promoted six backbenchers.
Such a high turnover rate among junior ministers so soon after their appointment might seem to suggest too much change. Unfortunately, the Taoiseach has placed exclusive emphasis on changing ministers and none on structural reform. The Government, less than a year in office, has already changed its leader. Mr Cowen has reshuffled the Cabinet and on Tuesday he recycled much of the second tier.
Just one in three junior ministers appointed last June continues as before and two thirds have new departmental responsibilities which will necessitate a new learning curve. In short the Taoiseach has disappointed by opting for superficial change and ignoring the greater challenge of reform. That is to reduce the numbers of junior ministers and to check the ad-hoc expansion of the second tier of government where too many are in office and too few are in power.
For all of that, many of the Taoiseach's new appointments are welcome and deserved. Broadly speaking, they represent a reward for merit and for performance and reflect Mr Cowen's obvious desire to promote a new generation in politics. Martin Mansergh has secured rapid advance on the basis of his vast experience as a former government adviser. Barry Andrews, as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in the high-chair at Cabinet, has been handed something of a poisoned chalice. Some - such as Jimmy Devins - a former junior health minister who opposed the Government's health policy on cancer services in Sligo hospital, is lucky to keep his place. Mr Cowen speaks loudly. He has changed the junior team but will those changes matter to the public.