Fianna Fáil looks certain to lead the government of the 30th Dáil after the party defied predictions by polling steadily throughout the State.
"It's a great night for FF, it's a great night for the party machine", Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said tonight as he faced talks on a coalition and headed for an historic third term in office. "There's a lot of work to do on that but that's for the next few days ahead," he said during a television interview.
He said the election campaign was "far more passionate than 1997 or 2002. "It was tough and you get tired but it was really passionate," he told RTÉ.
The party must now search for a coalition party for government, with the PD option effectively ruled out because of its poor showing. If Fianna Fáil earns enough seats, a minority government could rely on the support of like-minded independent TDs. Other options include a deal with Labour or with the Green Party.
Mr Ahern refused to be drawn on what he called the "endless" questions, to both him and Labour leader Pat Rabbitte, on possible coalition options. "Whatever I try to do, and I'm not going to work that out now, my favoured option is to man a stable government for a five year term," he said.
He vowed to "do his best" to see out his next five-year term. "It is a huge honour to be in this position 30 years on in your 10th election," Mr Ahern added.
Minister for Finance and deputy leader of Fianna Fáil Brian Cowen, who polled 19,102 first-preference vote in Laois-Offaly, said earlier it was "premature" to discuss who the party might enter a coalition government with. However, he said they were "interested in continuing with the stability" of an arrangement such as the one they had with the PDs.
However, that party has suffered major losses including the party's leader, Tánaiste Michael McDowell. Mr McDowell lost his seat in Dublin South East and said he was bowing out of public life. Deputy PD leader Liz O'Donnell lost her seat in Dublin South.
Amid chaotic scenes in the main Dublin count centre in the RDS, Mr McDowell said he was "deeply grateful" to the Irish people for his time as a TD adding: "My period in public life as a public representative is over".
It was clear from early in the day that it was a good election for Fianna Fáil. Labour party leader Pat Rabbitte, who forged an alternative alliance with Fine Gael, admitted at lunchtime that Bertie Ahern would most likely be the next Taoiseach. Before the first seat was confirmed this morning, bookmaker Paddy Power started paying out to those who bet on Bertie Ahern leading his party into government for an historic third term as taoiseach.
Counting of votes in the general election at the RDS in Dublin today.
Mr Rabbitte said: "I think Mr Ahern is likely to be re-elected taoiseach. There's a long night ahead yet. A great many seats will go to the wire, but in terms of my leadership of a particular strategy, it wasn't anything casual. It was very considered and deliberate."
Mr Ahern topped the poll in his Dublin Central constituency, almost doubling the quota with 12,734 first preference votes.
Fine Gael is set to make some gains but not enough to see party leader Enda Kenny leading a government. The Progressive Democrats, who held eight seats in the 29th Dáil, are in serious trouble, while the Labour Party have been squeezed in many constituencies. Sinn Féin has also suffered losses.
Fianna Fáil TD John Curran became the first TD elected to the 30th Dáil shortly after 2pm, with 8,650 first preference votes in the Dublin Mid West constituency. That brought him over the quota of 7,468 votes in the four-seater.
Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea almost tripled a quota of 8,230 with 19,082 first preference votes in Limerick east.
Outgoing minister for social and family affairs Séamus Brennan topped the poll for Fianna Fáil in Dublin South, where PD deputy leader Liz O'Donnell lost her seat.
Junior Fianna Fáil minister Brian Lenihan topped the poll in Dublin West, followed by Leo Varadkar of Fine Gael and Joan Burton of Labour. Popular Socialist Party candidate Joe Higgins lost his seat.
Elsewhere, Minister for Transport Martin Cullen romped home in Waterford. Newcomer Thomas Byrne of Fianna Fáil polled strongly at the expense of Labour rival Dominic Hanigan in Meath East. Byrne was second only to party colleague Mary Wallace.
The Taoiseach's brother, Noel Ahern, who is standing in Dublin North West, told ireland.comit was a good day for Fianna Fáil. "It's a huge turnaround in fortunes to those that were predicted a few weeks ago. Certainly I'm very pleased from my own constituency from people that helped me on the ground in my own area."
In Dublin South West, Fine Gael's Brian Hayes reclaimed his seat at the expense of Sinn Féin's Sean Crowe, who topped the poll last time. Fianna Fáil's Conor Lenihan came in first in this constituency, while Mr Rabbitte also comfortably retained his seat.
In Dún Laoghaire, independent candidate Richard Boyd Barret is doing well at the expense of the Labour Party, whose vote appears to have been severely weakened.
In Dublin South East Chris Andrews topped the poll and newcomer Lucinda Creighton for a Fine Gael came in in second place, ahead of Mr Quinn and Green Party deputy leader John Gormley who beat Mr McDowell.