Politicians are now queuing up for the job nobody wanted five years ago: the post of minister for agriculture, food and rural development.
Already the outgoing Minister, Mr Walsh, who has had 14 years in Agriculture House in Kildare Street, has signalled he would like to retain the portfolio.
Last week the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, told the Nenagh Guardian that he would like to be the new minister for agriculture, a "job I always wanted". There are two ministers of state at the Department, Mr Noel Davern and Mr Éamon Ó Cuív, who will be seeking promotion.
Sitting on the sidelines, however, is the former Irish Farmers Association president, Mr Tom Parlon, who was yesterday appointed to the three-person team which will negotiate a deal to set up an administration with Fianna Fáil.
While the PDs are unlikely to secure the post of minister for agriculture, Mr Parlon is almost certain to have a major role in agriculture.
"Nothing is certain. It will be up to the Taoiseach to appoint ministers with or without a coalition. He and other leaders have frequently appointed people not in the area in which they have most expertise," Mr Parlon said.
He refused to be pressed on whether he wanted to become a minister in the offices which he so often picketed and staged sit-ins at. At one stage, he was alleged to have been behind the driving of sheep into the lobby.
He was, however, the architect of the PDs' policy on agriculture and "wrote most of it myself". His specialist knowledge is unlikely to be ignored in the likely event of a PD/FF coalition.
Mr Parlon has one other attribute which will be of great advantage in the next few weeks. He and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, have developed a good relationship over the years and have similar styles.
At the formation of the last government the job was seen as a poisoned trough as the industry staggered from one crisis to another and BSE and other food scares kept hitting the headlines. Now attitudes have clearly changed.