When the Taosieach, Mr Ahern, walked into the Dáil chamber with his new Cabinet following behind him yesterday afternoon there were five significant people missing. Four had been demoted, and the fifth, the former Fianna Fáil deputy leader, Ms Mary O'Rourke, had failed to be re-elected.
The other four were the former minister for education, Dr Michael Woods; the former minister for arts, heritage, Gaeltacht and the islands, Ms Síle de Valera; the minister for the marine, Mr Frank Fahey; and the minister for sport, Dr James McDaid.
The demotion of Dr Woods and Ms de Valera had been taken for granted in recent days, although there was some surprise in relation to Mr Fahey and Dr McDaid.
Dr Woods was appointed minister for education in January 2000, replacing Mr Mícheál Martin who moved on to the Department of Health. He was seen as a competent minister in the previous portfolios which he had held but was strongly criticised for his handling of the teachers' dispute.
Dr Woods, at 67 one of the oldest TDs in the Dáil, often stood in for the Taoiseach during the Order of Business. He has been in the Dáil since 1977, having come to politics relatively late. It was considered that his age made the decision to drop him from the Cabinet easier for the Taoiseach.
One of the most experienced members of the Dáil, Dr Woods had held a number of previous portfolios, including Social Welfare, Marine, Agriculture and Food and Health. He was government chief whip in 1979 during a turbulent time in Fianna Fáil's history.
Ms de Valera became a government minister for the first time in 1997. Broadcasting policy proved controversial during her tenure, and her handling of RTÉ drew sustained criticism. There was also criticism concerning her handling of the arts and public tension between her and the board of the Abbey Theatre in relation to its future.
A seasoned political campaigner, Ms de Valera was first elected in 1977 and served as an MEP between 1979 and 1984. She has represented Clare since 1987, continuing the long family tradition with the constituency. Before that she was a TD for the constituency of Dublin Mid County.
In September 2000 Euro-sceptic remarks she made at a conference in the US set off a debate about Ireland's sovereignty. Her poor record of attending EU Culture Council meetings was highlighted at this time.
Mr Fahey's Cabinet career has been short-lived. The Galway West TD was appointed to the cabinet as minister for the marine and natural resources in January 2000. He was considered loyal to the Taoiseach, and there was some surprise that he was not reappointed.
However, the failure to bring in a third seat for Fianna Fáil in his constituency in the general election has been seen as a black mark against him. The party's Senator Margaret Cox failed to get elected.
Mr Fahey has had several highs and lows during his 20-year political career. He was first elected as a TD in February 1982. Five years later he was appointed a minister of State for sport. However, he suffered a shock defeat in the 1992 general election when he lost his seat following a boundary revision that denied him part of his traditional stamping ground in South Galway.
He served as a senator during the intervening years and successfully stood for election in 1997. At that time he was appointed a minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for children.
Dr McDaid appears to have been a victim of circumstance, geography, gender balance and his own penchant for occasionally unwise remarks, most recently those on suicide which caused controversy during the election campaign.
Ms Mary Coughlan, his colleague in the adjoining Donegal South West constituency, was the only new female to be appointed to Cabinet. It is speculated that her constituency colleague, Mr Pat "The Cope" Gallagher, returned from Europe to stand in the general election on the basis that he would be given a minister of State position.
As minister for sport Dr McDaid had responsibilty for the national stadium. While the project is being driven by the Taoiseach, Dr McDaid was the one who was the public face of the project when there were difficulties.
He has been a member of the Dáil since 1989 and was on the verge of being appointed minister for defence in 1991. However, he found himself in the midst of a controversy over a photograph of him with a prominent IRA constituent who avoided extradition at the Four Courts. Following opposition furore and media criticism he withdrew his name.