The latest news on the Irish General Election

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny will definitely be elected Taoiseach when the 31st Dail sits for the first time on March 9th after the most sensational General Election in the history of the state.

Kenny’s Fine Gael party, Labour and Sinn Fein have all smashed records with their biggest seat wins ever.

Fianna Fail slumped heavily and lost two thirds of their TDs, the Green Party disappeared and Independents ruled the day in many constituencies.

Fine Gael is on track to win up to 77 seats, seven more than its previous record under Garret Fitzgerald in 1982. Labour could win as many as 38 seats, above the record of 33 under Dick Spring in 1992 and is now the biggest party in Dublin.

Sinn Fein could potentially treble its seats to 15 while Independents and other groups will win as many as 18 seats while all six Green TDs failed to retain their seats.

Turnout in the election at 70pc was up on the previous general election.

Final counts won’t now be concluded until Tuesday after outgoing FF Minister Dick Roche demanded a full recount in Wicklow.

But the likely Coalition between Fine Gael and Labour now depends on talks already underway regarding policy on issues like taxation, budget cuts, property taxes and water charges, all areas where the two parties differ greatly in their outlook.

Several high ranking Fine Gael TDs and prospective Ministers, including Finance spokesman Michael Noonan, have already intimated that Labour are their first and only choice as government partners.
But Kenny may pursue talks with a group of Independents after Gilmore challenged Kenny to strike a deal in the next seven days before the new government has to open talks with Europe and the IMF on the bail-out.

“If Fine Gael want a government for a period of five years, strong, stable that brings together the two largest parties, in what will be the closest we’re going to get in this country to essentially a national government, the Labour Party is willing to play its part in that,” said Gilmore.

“But I do say that the window of opportunity for that to happen is very narrow.

“I believe that a government needs to be formed on the first day the Dail is back which is March 9. So really there’s about a week in which a programme for government can be put together.”

Meanwhile, a delighted Fine Gael leader Kenny said he is looking forward to taking office on March 9th and said: “The people of Ireland have given my party a massive endorsement to form the next government.

“We now stand at a transformative moment in Ireland’s history. We stand on the brink of fundamental change in how we regard ourselves, how we regard our economy and how we regard our society.

“I promise to lead a government worthy of the trust of the people. It is too early to say if we will be in power alone or in coalition with Labour but the priority is to rebuild Ireland’s economy.

“This little country will be seen to be the best in the world by 2016, to do business, raise a family and to grow old with dignity and respect.”

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Nster.com