Ahern looks to form new coalition

Ahern promised stable government after his convincing poll victory

DUBLIN, Republic of Ireland -- Ireland's newly re-elected Fianna Fail party looks set to form a coalition government after failing to clinch an overall parliamentary majority in last week's General Election.

The party, led by Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, fell just short of the 83 seats needed to out-number the combined strength of all other parties and individuals in parliament -- something that has not happened in Dublin for a quarter of a century.

The state of the parties by Monday morning, with one constituency yet to announce its result and subject to on-going recounts in some constituencies, was: Fianna Fail 80, Fine Gael 31, Labour 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5, Others 14.

Ahern praised the success of republican Sinn Fein but added the party, which has close links to the Irish Republican Army (IRA), will not be invited to join any coalition government.

RESULTS SO FAR Fianna Fail (73) 80  Fine Gael (54) 31  Labour (21) 21  Green Party (2) 6  Sinn Fein (1) 5  PDs (4) 8  Others (11) 14    MORE STORIES Ex-gunrunner becomes Irish MP    EXTRA INFORMATION Key facts about Irish election

The poll sunk the main opposition Fine Gael almost without trace, forcing the resignation of leader Michael Noonan in the process.

Many of Fine Gael's leading politicians lost their seats in the 166-seat Dail, the Dublin parliament.

Former Irish minister Richard Bruton, one of the few top Fine Gael personnel to survive, said no one in the party had anticipated the scale of their defeat.

He told the UK's Press Association news agency: "I think people were prepared from the opinion polls for the fact that we were going to be in difficulties.

"But it has been very wounding. It has come as a huge shock to us. There is a lot of hurt out there that has to be overcome."

He added: "I don't think there is any single cause for the collapse and we are going to take time out as a party to find out what lay behind that."

The Progressive Democrats (PDs), Ahern's coalition partners in the last government, doubled their number of seats to eight and are the most likely coalition partner in the new administration.

The group, led by deputy premier Mary Harney defied all the pre-poll forecasts -- which hinted that they were on the way to oblivion -- by actually increasing their Dail strength while their overall vote diminished.

Sinn Fein have now made big political inroads on both sides of the Irish border.

Ahern said: "I have worked hard to bring Sinn Fein in out of the political wilderness, away from the path of IRA violence and into the democratic road. So naturally the fact that they are doing that makes me happy.

Counting in a few seats is still continues with final overall results expected on Monday

"Sinn Fein has to go the rest of the way and we have to make sure there is no IRA. (There) cannot be ambiguity.

"You cannot have a position where you have some sort of allegiance, loyalty to a paramilitary army."

He added: "I have always said that coalition with the PDs was my preferred option for government.

"They have been my very honourable colleagues in government. Our relationship has been very good. We worked very well together, and we are very proud of the government we led for a record period in the history of this state."

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams pledged on Sunday to end "anaemic opposition" in the republic.

The party's haul included the south-western constituency of North Kerry, won by convicted IRA gunrunner Martin Ferris. (Full story)

"Our day has arrived," Adams said after an election that cast a shadow over EU expansion plans though which in the end caused few complications for the Northern Ireland peace process.

"Sinn Fein is now a major political force for change in this state," Adams said.

Adams, who campaigned but was not a candidate, predicted change, with Sinn Fein, the Green Party and other small or mid-sized parties working together.

He said the outcome was a mandate for "an alternative vision" for those who feel left out by Ireland's booming "Celtic Tiger" economy, the fastest growing in the European Union.