There was no great surprise yesterday at the elevation of Mr Frank Fahey to the Cabinet as Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources.
The promotion of the youthful-looking 48-year-old Galway West TD marked the culmination of Mr Fahey's rise since losing his Dail seat in the 1992 general election.
"Losing his seat in 1992 was devastating for him. But there was no more determined a man than Fahey. He made a comeback that Lazarus would have been proud of," one colleague said yesterday.
Mr Fahey lost out to his great rival, former minister Mrs Maire-Geoghegan Quinn and to Minister of State Mr Eamon O Cuiv after losing part of his territory in a constituency change. To regain it he moved from south Galway to the city and set up a full-time constituency office.
Mr Fahey's hard work paid off when the former secondary school teacher got more than 9,000 first preferences in the 1997 election. ail and not to seek re-election was a big help in helped his comeback. But many in the constituency are convinced that his trojan work on the ground would have squeezed Quinn out anyway and that she had seen the writing on the wall.
First elected to the Dail in 1982, Mr Fahey has lots of junior ministerial experience. He was Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for youth and sport from 1987 to 1992 and also served at the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications with special responsibility for Sports. He was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, with special responsibility for children, in July 1997.
On Mr Fahey's new role in the Marine and Natural Resources, a Fianna Fail source said yesterday: "There is not too much damage he can do in Marine and Fisheries. It should not cause him too many problems."
Mr Fahey is perceived to have played a conservative role as Minister of State with responsibility for children. He came into public conflict last year with the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, over mandatory reporting of child sex abuse.
Mr Fahey said mandatory reporting was not "the best thing to do at the present time".
Mr Fahey is known as an astute politician at local level. He is married with two sons and a daughter.