The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, may reinstate a "super" minister of state post in next month's reshuffle, according to speculation within Fianna Fáil.
The post would carry a State car and driver and the office holder would attend Cabinet meetings. Currently, ministers of state use their own cars and employ civilian drivers paid by the State. They do not attend Cabinet meetings.
"It would be seen as a very attractive job," said a Fianna Fáil source. "It would be the next best thing to being a minister."
There is speculation that the post might be offered to a senior backbencher, a current minister of state, or the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, as a consolation prize for being dropped from the Cabinet. Some Fianna Fáil sources believe it is far from certain that Mr Smith will be sent to the backbenches, given his considerable experience of the party organisation at a time when it has to rebuild following poor election results.
The job was first created for Mr Pat Rabbitte, then a Democratic Left deputy, in the 1994 Rainbow government, and he was succeeded by Mr Bobby Molloy, of the PDs, in the FF-PD minority government in 1997. The post was abolished when the current Government took over in 2002.
Democratic Left had just one senior minister - party leader Mr Proinsias De Rossa - in the Rainbow government. Mr Rabbitte's appointment allowed for a second DL presence at Cabinet meetings. Similarly, Mr Molloy's presence at Cabinet meetings in the 1997 government meant the presence of an experienced PD politician.
In 2002 the post was not seen as necessary because the PDs had two strong Cabinet ministers in the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney, and the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell.
Defending the creation of the postin 1995, the then Fine Gael taoiseach, Mr John Bruton, said in the Dáil that there were precedents for the job. He said that a former taoiseach, Mr Jack Lynch, had served in the post from 1951 to 1954, and a former deputy, Dr John O'Donovan, had carried out a similar role in the 1954 to 1957 government.
As is the case with the Government Chief Whip and Attorney General, the "super" junior minister would not be allowed vote at Cabinet meetings.
