Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will tomorrow mark 3,500 days in office with a vow to reach out to those left behind by the Celtic Tiger.
Mr Ahern, who came to power in 1997, has promised to leave politics in 2012 when he turns 60.
He told the Press Association today: "In politics, the point about achievement is not what you have done, it is what it is now possible to do.
"It is a measure of what the Irish people have achieved over the last 3,500 days that by continuing on the right course, we can now look forward to lasting peace and prosperity on this island."
Referring to the National Development Plan, he added: "By investing in a regionally-balanced country with cutting-edge skills, we can support not only prosperity for the great majority, we can also bring in from the edge, those who are still left behind."
Pipe dreams a decade ago are now becoming a tangible reality, the Dublin Central TD remarked.
"In a decade we have achieved nearly full employment, increased our population by over 600,000, and made real progress in addressing our inherited deficits in infrastructure and public services."
Mr Ahern is currently attending the World Economic Forum in Switzerland until tomorrow evening.
He is currently the fourth longest serving EU leader but could rise to number two position if he secures another term in office.
This is because French president Jacques Chirac is due to step down in May after presidential elections and British prime minister Tony Blair has vowed to retire before September.
Luxembourg's prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker, who has been in power since January 1995, is currently the longest-serving EU leader. Earlier this month, Mr Ahern outstripped his former mentor Charles Haughey as the second longest-serving leader of Fianna Fail after Eamon de Valera.
Mr Haughey ruled the party from December 1979 until January 1992 but has now been overtaken by Mr Ahern's 12-year reign. Mr de Valera served more than 15 years as Taoiseach in three terms between 1937 and 1959 and 33 years as Fianna Fail leader.
Mr Ahern said that what really matters now is to close gaps in existing infrastructure and public services and to move ahead of the curve.
"Looking back over the past decade, by managing the economy prudently, by acting in a spirit of social partnership, by committing politically to the peace process we have travelled a long way.
"Now, we can look to our future challenges with confidence, but not complacency," he said.