Unions and lobby groups tonight broadly welcomed the Cabinet reshuffle but immediately outlined urgent priorities for the newly-appointed ministers.
The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) called on the new Minister for Health and Children, Tánaiste Ms Mary Harney to roll out radical reform in the health service to reduce bureaucracy and empower professionals to give quality care to patients.
Mr Liam Doran, INO general secretary, said he would be seeking an early meeting with the Tanaiste to discuss "the current and long standing inadequacies of our health service".
National school teachers welcomed the appointment of Ms Mary Hanafin as Minister for Education and Science but called for specific policies to encourage wider participation in the primary sector.
The Irish National Teachers Organisation called for reduced class sizes and more funding to reduce the gap in investment between the primary and secondary levels.
Meanwhile, unions at Aer Lingus called on the new Transport minister Mr Martin Cullen to ensure that the national airline remained in public ownership.
SIPTU branch secretary Mr Christy McQuillan said: "Privatisation can deliver nothing that has not already been delivered by the workforce in co-operation with management and the State."
Elsewhere, hoteliers welcomed the reappointment of Mr John O'Donoghue as Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism, but immediately called on him to speed up the development of a national conference centre.
The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) president Mr Richard Bourke said: "The minister has to be applauded for maintaining and increasing funding for tourism marketing. He has succeeded in putting tourism firmly on the national agenda."
The IHF also called on the new Minister for Transport Martin Cullen to open up extra direct air routes between Ireland and the US.
TV and film producers called on the new cabinet to promote and develop an effective export market for the Irish film and television production industry abroad.
Screen Producers Ireland, which represents 225 independent film and TV production firms, also called for a review of the licence fee in assisting and growing the independent production sector in Ireland.