Health: During her political career stretching back to the 1970s, the Progressive Democrat leader and Tánaiste, Mary Harney, has taken more than a few risks.
But it is unlikely that any of them will surpass her decision to opt for the Department of Health in the Cabinet reshuffle announced yesterday.
If she makes progress in Health, she could lay the foundations for a good performance by the Progressive Democrats in the next general election.
If her time in Health proves to be an unhappy one, she could find her party's hold on Dáil seats put under the gravest of threat. She has literally bet the family silver.
However, she has some advantages over her predecessor, Mr Micheál Martin, whose relationship with the Department of Finance was often fractious.
Enjoying more political leverage, the Tánaiste should have an easier time with the new Minister for Finance, Mr Cowen, whom she sits beside at the Cabinet table.
Nevertheless, the Department of Health's problem is not money. It has had much of that since 1997. Instead, it needs reform and change.
Change, in some areas, means the Hanly Report, published earlier this year, even though it makes Fianna Fáil TDs stretch for a crucifix and garlic.
The theory of Hanly is fine, since it urged dramatic improvements to regional hospital services, offering consultant-led care backed by better equipment.
However, the report has been translated in constituencies such as Tipperary North and Clare to mean the closure of the local hospitals.
So far Ms Harney has said little about her plans, though it is reasonable to believe that she will have little mind to cut services as the general election edges closer.
Instead, some PDs believe that Hanly was badly sold, where the focus should have been kept on improving regional services, not on downgrading local ones.
However, Ms Harney's predecessor, Mr Martin, vainly attempted to do this on the day Hanly was launched, and often times since, but with little success.
In the Dáil last evening, the Tánaiste committed herself to developing a health service based on equality, rather than on ideology.
The developing attitude of Fianna Fáil backbenchers to Health under the Tánaiste's control will be fascinating to watch, though unstinting support is hardly guaranteed.
Promising targeted action in a "few" areas, Ms Harney seems likely to concentrate on accident and emergency, cancer services, the consultants' contract, and value for money.
She must persuade existing consultants to accept major changes to their work practices, while recruiting a large number of new consultants.
Almost every interest group in the health service, and there are many, can cause her problems, particularly since she has but 2½ years to produce results. If upset by her actions, consultants could slow down the number of public operations, leaving her to pick up the pieces when six-monthly waiting list figures are released.
In addition, she seems ready to attempt to force through major changes on elderly care, although this issue is already being discussed in consultation with the social partners. Furthermore, she has the advantage of taking over Health at a time when all of the reports commissioned on its future have been completed.
Also, Mr Martin successfully extracted money from the Department of Finance in June to open up a dozen hospital units left idle since their construction. Although he failed to exploit the PR opportunities provided by this extra money, Ms Harney can do so, spending her first few months cutting ribbons. But winter is on its way and so too the sharp increase in A&E admissions, traditional at this time of year. And demand means trolleys.
