Dr Michael Woods is expected to be appointed chairman of the high-profile Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs by the Taoiseach.
Mr Ahern has yet to fill the chairs of several committees, which are considered to be attractive perks in Leinster House, although not in the senior and junior ministerial league. They carry extra allowances and provide an opportunity for backbenchers to raise their profiles.
The chair of the foreign affairs committee is much sought after. Dr Woods, who represents Dublin North-East, was first elected to the Dáil in 1977 and served in every Fianna Fáil Cabinet from the time he was made Government Chief Whip by the then Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, in 1979, until the May election.
Mr Ahern dropped the 67-year-old Dr Woods from the new Cabinet and it seems that his consolation prize will be the chair of the foreign affairs committee.
In the last Dáil, the committee was chaired by the former PD leader and minister, Mr Des O'Malley, who has retired from politics.
Mr Ahern has yet to confirm if he will follow precedent and give the chair of the Committee on Public Accounts to Fine Gael as the largest party in Opposition. In the last Dáil, Mr Jim Mitchell, the Fine Gael deputy leader, who lost his Dáil seat in Dublin Central, held the post.
Mr Ahern may well be delaying announcing the chairs of committees to ensure that disappointed backbenchers keep their counsel during the traditional summer break. He may not make them known until the Dáil reconvenes early next month to debate the Nice Treaty referendum.
A number of backbenchers have been privately expressing their annoyance at Mr Ahern's failure to carry out the major Cabinet changes he had promised at a parliamentary party meeting after the election.
Fianna Fáil backbenchers likely to be considered to fill the chairs of committees include the Cork deputies Mr Batt O'Keeffe, Mr Michael Moynihan, Mr Billy Kelliher and Mr Ned O'Keeffe.
Mr Tony Killeen (Clare), Mr Brendan Smith (Cavan/Monaghan), Mr John Moloney (Laois/Offaly), as well as Dublin deputies Mr Conor Lenihan, Mr Seán Ardagh, Mr Seán Haughey, Mr Eoin Ryan and Mr G.V. Wright could also be in line for committee jobs.
It is understood that Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, the Kerry South Independent deputy, is interested in a committee chair. He chaired the environment committee in the last Dáil, when his voting helped to keep the government in power.
