BRIAN Cowen's elevation to taoiseach (prime minister), accompanied by a Cabinet selection that placed his two closest confidantes in the most important positions and who, like him, are still in their 40s, sent out a clear signal that loyalty and energy will be the hallmarks of the new government.His promotion and his appointments also shifted the axis of power from Dublin to the provinces.The 48-year-old father of two girls from the village of Clara, Co. Offaly took over from Bertie Ahern last Wednesday in a sea of good will.He made Mary Coughlan from the tiny Donegal village of Frosses his deputy, appointing her as tanaiste (deputy leader) as well as promoting her from agriculture to make her Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Coughlan, a mother of two who is married to a Garda (police officer), celebrates her 43rd birthday at the end of this month.Brian Lenihan, 49-year-old father of two from Dublin whose 11-month job as minister for justice was his first Cabinet appointment, was promoted to minister for finance.Cowen clearly believes that both Lenihan and Coughlan -- both with a reputation as hard-working ministers -- are the best team to tackle the task of steadying an economy that has gone into decline after more than a decade of unprecedented wealth for Ireland in the Celtic Tiger era.All three at the top have deep roots within Fianna Fail. Cowen was elected to the Dail at the age of 24 at a by-election following the death of his father Ger. Coughlan entered Leinster House when she was only 21 following the death of her father Austin who, in turn, had succeeded her uncle Clem following his death in an accident.Lenihan became a TD following the 1996 death of his father Brian senior.Two new senior ministers were appointed - Brendan Smith from Cavan as minister for agriculture, fisheries and food, and Batt O'Keeffe from Cork as minister for education.Out went Arts Minister Seamus Brennan, who opted to return to the back benches on health grounds, and, of course, Ahern who will sit for the remaining four years of this Dail (Parliament) on the back benches.The rest of the ministers who served under Ahern remain in Cabinet, six of them in their old positions. Mary Hanafin's move from education to social and family affairs was widely regarded as a demotion, as was Martin Cullen's move from that department to be minister for arts, sport and tourism.The justice portfolio was taken up by former Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern. Micheal Martin is now the foreign minister.Noel Dempsey remains minister for transport. Also staying with the same portfolios are Minister for Defense Willie O'Dea, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs amon Cuv and the three non-Fianna Fil coalition Cabinet members, Minister for Health Mary Harney, Minister for the Environment John Gormley, and Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan.Government Chief Whip Tom Kitt was axed in favor of Pat Carey, who was also appointed junior defense minister. Kitt responded by saying he's quitting politics after the next general election.Accepting his nomination as taoiseach, Cowen told the Dail that his immediate task was to ensure ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in a referendum to be held on June 12. If the treaty is ratified it will change the way the EU is governed.Cowen underlined his determination to get a Yes vote in Ireland for the treaty -- and at the same time emphasized his commitment to loyalty -- when a few days later he said any Fianna Fail TD who is opposed to the treaty may voice such opposition only from outside the ranks of the parliamentary party.Opposition leader Enda Kenny of Fine Gael offered congratulations to the new government, and then delivered a swipe to Fianna Fail's record in office."The reality is that, out of the best times any Irish government was ever handed, Fianna Fail has created catastrophe and chaos," Kenny said.Labor Party leader Eamon Gilmore said that while it was a pleasure to congratulate those who had been appointed to the Cabinet, he warned that there would be no honeymoon for the new government."The captain's armband has been changed, there are a few substitutions, and some positional switches, but this is essentially the same government that has been in office for the last 11 years," Gilmore added.Up to 50,000 thronged the streets of towns and villages in Cowen's constituency when he returned to it as taoiseach last weekend. He told well-wishers at an open-air rally in Tullamore that caring for people on the margins of society would be a key priority during his term as taoiseach.Cowen promised to be a taoiseach for all the people, and "not just those who support me.""Every citizen of this Republic is entitled to my loyalty. I will work with you day and night to make this a better country, a country which will put the citizen at the centre of our concern," he said.Cowen said that Ireland had changed from being a country with its people dispersed around the world to one of the most diverse nations in the world. If social inclusion was to be achieved, then people would have to cherish community and "reduce the tendency to self-interest and individualism."The new taoiseach will stay some nights each week in the Steward's House in Farmleigh in Dublin's Phoenix Park. The house was renovated by the Office of Public Works three years ago as a possible taoiseach's residence.Cowen currently stays some nights in a one-bedroom apartment in the St. James's Gate area of the city which he bought some years ago, but Gardai have raised questions about securing the property.The Farmleigh property was fitted out with a state of the art security system when it was refurbished in 2005.
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