Instead of radical Cabinet changes, Bertie Ahern has produced a calculated mixture of ability, experience and geographic spread, writes Denis Coghlan
The only entirely new face on the Government benches was that of Michael McDowell when the Taoiseach rose to announce the composition of his new Cabinet. All of the others had served as senior or junior ministers.
The exercise was less innovative than Mr Ahern's government-formation exercise in 1997, when he introduced three entirely new faces and four Ministers of State to Cabinet. This time, Mr McDowell, of the Progressive Democrats, and three former juniors were promoted, with 11 of the old hands being retained.
Rebellion in the Fianna Fáil camp was signalled by the appointment of Dr Rory O'Hanlon (68) as Ceann Comhairle. That job was to have been Michael Smith's parachute from Cabinet but the Tipperary man had refused to jump. The last-minute change led to a series of knock-on effects and Mary Hanafin lost out.
The episode echoed the shambles of 1997 when, in giving Ray Burke Foreign Affairs, Mr Ahern tried to appease David Andrews with Defence and an assistant role at Foreign Affairs. That arrangement didn't last for more than a day.
A new Department of Transport, which will have responsibility for national roads, railways, aviation and public transport, drew most attention. And Seamus Brennan, who worked assiduously to keep the independents sweet in the last government, was rewarded with the plum job.
The other big shift saw John O'Donoghue being replaced at Justice by Mr McDowell and receiving, in grudging recognition of his hard work, the booby prize of a dysfunctional department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.
After that, it was a case of moving bits and pieces from Departments where they no longer fitted and trying to patch together coherent ministries. In compensation for losing control of the roads programme, the Department of the Environment was given responsibility for heritage policy and Dúchas. And Martin Cullen, a former member of the PDs and junior minister, was given a major promotion.
Communications, which will in- clude telecommunications and broadcasting, was bundled in with Marine and Natural Resources to make a Department so large that it wouldn't appear as a demotion for Dermot Ahern.
EAMON Ó Cuív got a leg up the ladder, even as his cousin, Síle de Valera slid down the snake. The sudden surge in the number of Independents elected in rural Ireland led to the creation of a Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, with responsibility for local and western development. Mr Ó Cuív was made head honcho in Galway West by the Taoiseach as Frank Fahey faded and his brief will be to sideline Marion Harkin and her western colleagues.
Up in Donegal, Mary Coughlan was preferred over Jim McDaid and given charge of a reduced Department of Social and Family Affairs. In the same way, Joe Walsh held on to the Department of Agriculture and Food while losing that section dealing with rural development.
Frank Fahey, Jim McDaid, Síle de Valera and Michael Woods lost their Cabinet places and were replaced by Seamus Brennan, Eamon Ó Cuív, Martin Cullen and Mary Coughlan. Michael McDowell took the position vacated by Mary O'Rourke in the general election.
The geographic spread of ministers was almost identical to the last occasion when Dublin and Leinster took five each, Munster four and Connacht/Ulster one.
This time, Dublin lost a State car to Connacht/Ulster and the other arrangements stood.
As was expected, Bertie Ahern linked some key responsibilities to his own Department. A disappointed Mary Hanafin was given the job of Government Chief Whip. But she will also have responsibility for co-ordinating policy on e-commerce and the information society within the Taoiseach's Department. And, with the Nice Treaty referendum coming down the tracks, Mr Ahern reinstated Máire Geoghegan-Quinn's old job of Minister of State for Europe and gave it to Dick Roche.
The engine room of the new Government will embrace the Department of Finance, where Charlie McCreevy has been given the task of reining-in State spending. Séamus Brennan will play a strong supporting role at Transport; Mícheál Martin will resume his labours at Health and Michael McDowell will have to deal with hydra-headed problems at Justice. Mary Harney continues at Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Brian Cowen prepares for a second Nice test in Foreign Affairs.
Apart from that, it will be business as usual when the new Government picks up where it left off.
Despite Mr Ahern's promise of radical change to his Parliamentary Party earlier this week, he will have disappointed many.
The best that can be hoped for by some of the 1995 Dáil intake is now a junior ministry.
Denis Coghlan is Chief Political Correspondent of The Irish Times