It was the first day back after the long summer holidays yesterday and, with the air of a head teacher, Bertie Ahern was engaging in some tough talking with his star pupils.
The Taoiseach gathered his leading class together in Government Buildings and warned that if performance did not improve, they were in danger of failing their next big test, which he predicted would be in June 2002.
He told his senior party members that it was time to put the Hugh O'Flaherty issue behind them. The Government had to re-focus on other important issues such as the Budget, health, inflation, transport and the National Development Plan, he said.
The Taoiseach had his first session with senior ministers at a meeting that started at 9.30 a.m. and lasted 90 minutes. This was followed by a meeting with ministers of state.
While recognising that the O'Flaherty controversy had caused significant damage to the Government, Mr Ahern said it was time to move forward and to get on with the business of running the country.
Mr Ahern made it clear that despite media reports there would be no Cabinet reshuffle. He said Fianna Fail was a republican party and it was important that the grassroots were listened to.
"It was very much a team talk. The Taoiseach was clear that it was time to move on. He seemed in very positive and determined form and did not spend too much time on the O'Flaherty issue," one source said.
Mr Ahern said the party had 20 months to prepare for the next election and more than hinted that Fianna Fail could not afford to make any more major slip-ups in the meantime. It was all-important that the Government got the next two Budgets right.
He also said said it was important the Government got its presentation and its message across. He urged more consultation between the Cabinet and backbenchers and party members.
There was much debate about whether the next Budget should focus on increased public expenditure or more tax cuts. Afterwards, there was no doubt ministers were singing from the same hymn-sheet. Dermot Ahern, Sile De Valera, James McDaid and Willie O'Dea insisted there was nothing unusual about the meeting, it was absolutely not a crisis meeting, and it was a normal beginning of term pep talk.
After the meeting Mr Ahern made it be known he was not available for press interviews and would be making no public comment on the O'Flaherty affair.
He was too busy packing his bags for his departure last night for New York, where he is attending the UN millennium summit.