As the nursing strike looms, the gardai reject the latest pay offer, and Mandate says it is opposed to entering talks on a successor to Partnership 2000, the Government's pre-millennial fears are fast developing into panic.

In the latest shock development, 25 members of the Pilgrim House community work scheme in Wexford were arrested yesterday after they got off the train in Connolly Street station, and immediately deported back to their home county on the 9.55 p.m. train to Rosslare, apparently because the Government regarded them as a security threat.

A Government spokesperson alleged that the deportees were members of a "doomsday cult" bent on spreading industrial unrest in the capital, fomenting insurrection and even aiming to fuel an apocalyptic labour conflict that could usher in the End of Days and the messianic era.

Friends of the group said that they represented no threat to anyone, but the Government insisted they were part of a cult who intended to commit mass suicide on Kildare Street unless all the nation's workers had their pay packets trebled.

A Government spokesman said: "These people had money in their pockets, and enough ham sandwiches to last them a week. They are not innocent pilgrims or day-trippers."

Somewhat disingenuously, he asked why, if they were ordinary workers, they were not at work. A spokesman for the group said they were simply a concerned group of labourers in the field, i.e farm-workers, who believed the Government was reneging on the social justice element of its teaching.

From their remote rural outpost, just beyond Gorey, they had travelled the long road to the glittering capital of money and power to show solidarity with their city brethren, and to share prayers and maybe a few pints at the end of the day.

The handling of their case underlines the extent of the Government's millennial panic.

In September it deported nine members of the "Mayo Now or Never" cult who had sold all their possessions and moved to Dublin because their leader, Monte Kim Cullinane, from Bohola, had prophesied that he would die in front of the Cusack Stand, and be resurrected a few days later, if Mayo did not win the women's football championship.

Fortunately, the match result pre-empted this shocking scenario and apparently Monte Kim is now happily vacationing with the married sister (Kitty) in Des Moines, Iowa.

Meanwhile, ahead of the expected Government reshuffle, tributes were pouring in to Health Minister "No-Mo" Cowan, whose stunning re placement, Mandy Rice-Davies, is set to sweep into the Cabinet after a long period in exile in London.

No-Mo - as in No More Money - will be greatly missed on the streets of the capital. Though far from a pin-up, No-Mo, with his unconventional style, gregarious nature and forceful hands-on approach, was a blast of fresh air through the stuffy corridors of power in Government Buildings.

Notoriously touchy-feely, it was a standing joke in Dublin that anyone who had not been kissed by No-Mo must have been running very fast in the opposite direction.

On the day he took office, No-Mo glad-handed his way along city-centre Dublin, having a chat here, offering a big hug there, taking a bite out of someone's neck - beg pardon, apple, being extravagant with his kisses.

With his informal behaviour, fondness for risque jokes, profligate use of the vernacular and warmly belligerent personality, he was a huge hit with the public, but ironically, the only people who didn't care for him were those in the caring professions.

No-Mo's proposed replacement, the gorgeous Mandy Rice-Davies, was involved in an unspeakable scandal some years ago, but the Taoiseach said she had now "paid the price for her mistake" and he wanted her "back where she belonged".

The opposition accused the Taoiseach of arrogance in its plans to bring Mandy back from social exile.

But Government insiders said the Taoiseach had not considered the initial offence all that serious; Ms Rice-Davies had exhibited the necessary humility on her resignation; she had previous hands-on experience at high levels; the health job was not a bed of roses, and there was a shortage of people who could do it.