Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to amend legislation to allow him to increase the number of ministers of state from 17 to 20.
Mr Ahern revealed yesterday that among the new junior ministries he will establish is one dealing with immigration and integration, and one with responsibility for issues surrounding older people.
Last week Mr Ahern said he would not rule out promoting Independent Mayo TD Beverley Flynn to a junior ministry at some stage if she sorted out her affairs and rejoined Fianna Fáil.
Ms Flynn initiated a constitutional challenge on Friday that could delay the bankruptcy proceedings being taken against her by RTÉ, which are due to start today.
Under the Electoral Act 1992 if she is declared bankrupt she would automatically lose her Dáil seat if she remained a bankrupt after six months.
Gerard Hogan SC, for Ms Flynn, initiated the proceedings to have the relevant sections of the Electoral Act declared unconstitutional. It will not be clear until the court sits this morning whether the constitutional challenge will prevent the bankruptcy proceedings going ahead.
Mr Ahern confirmed that the Green Party's Trevor Sargent, who announced last week that he is stepping down as leader, will be a minister of state.
It is unlikely that the Progressive Democrats will get a junior ministry and Mr Ahern and the Greens are still negotiating whether they get two junior ministries.
Mr Sargent said yesterday that he would be delighted with the job of minister of state with responsibility for food, something which would allow him to bring together his hobby as well as his professional life in politics. But he said that had to be agreed by the Cabinet next week.
In an interview with the RTÉ Radio One This Week programme, Mr Ahern ruled himself out of the presidency after he steps down as Taoiseach.
"I think anyone who knows Bertie Ahern knows that I have the highest regard and respect for the office of president and the whole role of the presidency."
He added: "But equally they know it wouldn't exactly fit the kind of a lifestyle I like to lead. I think at that time the Irish people will probably have enough of me but I promise you between now and then I will continue to work the long and hard weeks."
On the formation of the new Government, he said the Labour Party had rejected his overtures a week before polling on the possibilities of a Fianna Fáil-Labour government.
"So that was killed, but I did keep it open until that last week so I didn't see any future in that, and as soon as the election results came out, it was clear to me on the Saturday at lunchtime what the strategy was. I said it looked to me I could build a team to get 88 or 89 votes and that is precisely what I have been doing."
He described Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte as a "shrewd operator".
"I was more than happy to have to work with Labour and I thought for some time back that there was a strong possibility of that happening in 2007. I never ruled that out and tried to keep it alive until the last week."
Mr Ahern confirmed that legislation to reform stamp duty will go before the Dáil as promised in the programme for government before the summer break.
Asked if he had offended any other Fianna Fáil leadership hopefuls by strongly suggesting last week that Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen would be his successor, he said no, that he had worked hard at the structure to give everyone opportunities over the last few years and had moved his colleagues around.