Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny yesterday vowed to lead his party into the next general election.
Describing himself as "a realist" in politics, he said his party's performance in gaining 20 seats at the election was "a remarkable achievement".
He now intends to make Fine Gael the largest party in government after the next election.
In an interview on RTÉ radio yesterday, he acknowledged feeling disappointed at remaining on the opposition benches.
"I'm not deflated, I'm a realist in politics," he said. "To change the government you have got to change Fianna Fáil."
He said he would seek endorsement from members of the parliamentary party and intends to remain as leader up to and including the next election.
While he gave Taoiseach Bertie Ahern credit for "getting the Fianna Fáil vote out", he said some people had "written the political obituary" of Fine Gael five years ago.
It was very difficult to regain a Dáil seat if the incumbent "does any work at all", he added.
On the issue of the leaders' debate with Bertie Ahern, which some believe proved decisive in swinging the election in Fianna Fáil's favour, Mr Kenny said that after 10 years as Taoiseach, people would have expected Mr Ahern "to wipe the floor" with him. But this had not happened, and he believed it had prompted Fianna Fáil to get its vote out.