Ahern set for majority as Sinn Fein wins more seats

The Irish general election yesterday delivered a victory for Bertie Ahern and his ruling Fianna Fail party, together with a political breakthrough for Sinn Fein, which was spearheaded by a former gunrunner.

Mr Ahern appeared on course for an overall majority last night as counting continued. If he falls a few seats short, he is expected to enlist the support of a minor party or a number of independents to form the next government.

The election saw a disastrous slump for the second largest party, Fine Gael, with a near-collapse in Dublin constituencies. Its leader, Michael Noonan, faces early replacement, with party members openly speculating yesterday that he would probably step down soon. The Irish Labour Party, meanwhile, failed to make the advances some had predicted.

The Fianna Fail victory is attributed to the recent economic boom and the huge popularity of Mr Ahern. Smaller parties and independents also appeared to have fared well, reflecting a continuing trend of voters favouring micro-politics over the big political battalions.

Sinn Fein looked set to take about half a dozen seats with a vote share of seven per cent or more. Its most prominent winner was Martin Ferris, the convicted gunrunner who topped the poll in Kerry North.

Sinn Fein also polled strongly in a number of Dublin constituencies and in some border areas, increasing its representation in the Dail, where it previously held only one seat. Its candidate Sean Crowe topped the poll in a Dublin constituency.

The electoral arithmetic means that Mr Ahern will have no need to turn to Sinn Fein for support for his new administration. The party's increased number of seats will, however, increase its influence in the Republic. Its growth will cause concern in Northern Ireland among both Unionists and nationalists.

Fianna Fail picked up an estimated 43 per cent of the vote, while Fine Gael took only 22 per cent and Labour 12 per cent.