The days when governments take shape are charged with a unique energy.
Tension, speculation and late surprises crackle through Leinster House from early morning.
Plans carefully etched over days and weeks can be cast aside at the last-minute when a disgruntled TD throws an almighty strop and forces the Taoiseach to think again.
Today a great deal will hinge on the decision around the selection of the new Minister for Justice.
Does Jim O'Callaghan return from the cold to take one of the top jobs in government?
Once he was a pivotal part of Micheál Martin’s inner team within Fianna Fáil, but he has been a fringe figure since 2020.
But few doubt the successful Senior Counsel’s ability and a majority of his colleagues believe he will be elevated to Cabinet today.
Justice will become even more prominent in this new government given that it will also handle integration.
An indication of its leading role is evident from the expected appointment of a second secretary general to the department.
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James Browne, Dara Calleary, Mary Butler and perhaps Thomas Byrne are also in the frame for senior government roles, with Niamh Smyth viewed as a possible Chief Whip.
Fine Gael seems to have a more straightforward promotion line-up to choose fromm with Jennifer Carroll MacNeill the frontrunner to become Minister for Health and Martin Heydon taking over at Agriculture.
This is typically a day when pomp and decorum define the Dáil proceedings.
But this morning the opposition will be more angry than usual.
This is because the Dáil will adjourn for a fortnight when it concludes its work today.
The government insists this is being done to give the new ministers time to learn about their new jobs to enable them to competently answer Dáil questions.
Plus, there is much frustration that four TDs, who are supporting the government, will get to speak from the opposition benches today.
It has all the ingredients of a fractious day that may well take the gloss off the appointment of Micheál Martin as Taoiseach.
He contents it is part of a negative agenda in some quarters, who he claims are unhappy with the composition of the new government.
However, others believe this rising sense of angst stems from the early actions of a nascent government that has already become a little too arrogant.
