These ministers of state, who will each earn a basic salary of 147,284, now undertake roles which vary from satisfying the geographical demands of political expediency to real jobs with the real power to make a difference. The four with clout are Children, Drugs Strategy, Integration and also European Affairs which, although it is a demotion for Dick Roche and as dry as mustard to the ordinary mortal, is hugely important as we negotiate the new European treaty.

But apart from the Green Party heavyweights and a couple of promotions from the Fianna Fail "Class of 1997' there is little of the freshness that Bertie Ahern talks about. We can only wait to see how competent the entire cabinet proves to be, but as they say in small print at the bottom of those seductive investment schemes, "past performance is no guarantee of future returns".

The Taoiseach's caution is, of course, legendary so nobody was expecting anything truly radical. But in politics, image is everything and the underlying example is hardly inspiring, especially as, with our economic future less certain, the battle begins in earnest to confront vested interests who are not offering a fair return for their positions of privilege.

The consultants spring immediately to mind as Mary Harney enters the fray again to end the lunacy of contracts that have allowed them to run private practices in public hospitals while earning huge salaries paid for by taxpayers . But the public service pay bill will have to be contained and any money-for-nothing demands by already well-heeled, well-protected public sector workers will not go down well with those who are paid far less in the more exposed private sector.

Against the strong signals that need to be sent out on these fronts, the Taoiseach's decision to expand the number of junior ministries (even going so far as to change the law in order to do so) rather than confront the challenges raised by his new Green coalition and make some tough decisions on cabinet cutbacks, sends out all the wrong messages.

He is, of course, consolidating the Fianna Fail power base through patronage . . . something we will see more of in the coming Seanad elections.

Ahern may have felt it expedient to appease his party with goodies galore to compensate for Green giveways, but this is not a good time to pander to ambitious individuals inside the party. Or for that matter, to pander to individuals from any quarter . . . especially those who have earned nothing but disrespect for their self-serving actions, such as Beverley Flynn.

The first decisions of this new government are about to be made. We live in a global world, over much of which we have little control. When interest rates should have been higher, to counter our burgeoning growth and inflation, they were unfeasibly low. Now, when the housing sector needs a boost and personal debt is becoming uncomfortable for some, rates are challengingly (some would say dangerously) high.

That's the price we pay for being part of the international market that is the EU, but it makes it all the more important that the decisions we do have control of don't add to our problems.

And it makes the need for greater accountability, efficiency and professionalism in the way the public services treat their customers, as outlined by a frustrated Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly last week, all the more urgent. It makes the failure of the Taoiseach to set an example by taking tough decisions within his own cabinet all the more symbolic.