Three former Cabinet Ministers have been appointed Ministers of State by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, who now has 17 junior ministers in his Government.

Ms Síle de Valera, Dr Jim McDaid and Mr Frank Fahey, three of the four TDs who failed to be reappointed as full Cabinet Ministers after the general election, have been given the consolation prize of junior ministerial office.

A number of junior ministers failed to be reappointed, including Mr Eoin Ryan, Ms Mary Wallace, Mr Noel Davern, Mr Danny Wallace and Mr Joe Jacob.

There are only three totally new Ministers of State: Mr Ivor Callely, Mr Noel Ahern, the Taoiseach's brother, and Mr Brian Lenihan.

Ms de Valera has been appointed to the Department of Education with special responsibility for adult education, youth affairs and educational disadvantage.

Dr McDaid goes to the newly-created Department of Transport with special responsibility for road traffic, including road haulage.

Mr Fahey has been appointed to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for labour affairs.

Backbench TDs congratulated and shook hands with the new appointees. A small number of relatives watched from the public gallery as Mr Ahern read out the names before returning to the Order of Business.

Mr Willie O'Dea, who was deeply disappointed not to have been appointed to the Cabinet, has been reassigned as Minister of State for Justice with responsibility for equality issues, including disability.

Mr Noel Treacy has been reassigned to the Department of Agriculture and Mr Tom Kitt returns to the Department of Foreign Affairs, where he will have responsibility for overseas development and human rights.

As expected, there were two junior ministries for the Progressive Democrats' new TDs.

Mr Tom Parlon goes to the Department of Finance and will have special responsibility for the Office of Public Works. Mr Tim O'Malley has been assigned to the Department of Health with special responsibility for disability and mental health services and for food safety.

Ms Mary Hanafin, who was appointed Government Chief Whip two weeks ago, was also named yesterday as Minister of State for Defence.

The Taoiseach's brother, Mr Noel Ahern, a new minister, was appointed to the Department of Environment, with responsibility for housing and urban renewal, and to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, with responsibility for drugs strategy and community affairs.

Mr Ivor Callely, a long-serving backbencher, was also appointed to the Department of Health with special responsibility for services for older people.

Mr Brian Lenihan has been appointed to three Departments - Health, Justice and Education - with responsibility for children.

The former Ministers of State, who served under other Taoisigh, are: Mr Pat "The Cope" Gallagher, Minister of State for Environment; Mr Liam Aylward, Minister of State for Agriculture, with responsibility for animal health and customer service; Mr John Browne, Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources; and Mr Michael Ahern, Minister of State for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with responsibility for trade and commerce.