Ireland endorses Ahern and anti-establishment parties

Popular incumbent wins a historic victory at the polls while Sinn Fein and the Green party make significant gains

The Irish general election delivered a resounding victory to the outgoing Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and his Fianna Fail party yesterday, together with a breakthrough for Sinn Fein.

Mr Ahern finished a few seats short of an overall majority but in a comfortable position to put together a new coalition with his old partners, the Progressive Democrats.

His principal opponent, Fine Gael, did so badly that its leader, Michael Noonan, announced his resignation long before the election counts were over. The near collapse of Fine Gael was accompanied by a mushrooming of small anti-establishment parties and independents, with at least 25 in the new Dail.

Sinn Fein made inroads into the Republic's domestic politics by increasing its representation from one Dail member to five. Most attention focused on the former gunrunner Martin Ferris, who topped the poll in Kerry North.

The party also won seats in border areas and inner-city Dublin, taking 121,000 first preference votes and increasing its share of the vote from 2.5 to 6.5 per cent. It also showed strongly in a number of other districts.

The result represents a significant breakthrough for the party, though some in its ranks had hoped it would win up to seven seats.

The Green party also performed strongly, netting six seats, one more than Sinn Fein.

The strong Fianna Fail performance put paid to Sinn Fein's hopes that it might dramatically increase its influence by holding the balance of power in the Dail.

Sinn Fein's advance will none the less be of some concern in Northern Ireland, where it has made even greater electoral gains in recent years. Unionists will worry about its ability to grow on both sides of the border, while the nationalist SDLP will be concerned that Sinn Fein will draw ahead of it in next year's elections to the Belfast Assembly.

In the meantime the gains made by Fianna Fail and in particular the slump in Fine Gael's fortunes have signalled a realignment in southern politics and a much-changed political landscape.

Mr Noonan's resignation came after the party lost many of its most prominent members, including his deputy, Jim Mitchell, and the former justice ministers Alan Dukes and Nora Owen.

In an interview, in which he was regarded as making his departure with dignity, he said that as leader he accepted full responsibility for a result which was behind his "worst expectations and fears". His party now faces a long period of rebuilding.

Fianna Fail took 41 per cent of first preferences, fewer than most opinion polls had suggested, while Fine Gael managed just 22 per cent.

The additional good news for Mr Ahern was that the Progressive Democrats confounded predictions of meltdown and won seats. As the speculation about his intentions continued, Mr Ahern insisted that his favoured plan was a new political deal with the PDs, headed by his Deputy Prime Minister, Mary Harney, rather than a loose arrangement with a group of non-aligned members.

He said: "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."

Mr Ahern revealed that he had already seen Ms Harney since the election. They met briefly when the pair attended a function in Dublin Castle yesterday. But there was no time for any discussions on a return to coalition. Mr Ahern said: "We just congratulated each other and exchanged good wishes." He added: "I have no doubt that we will be talking again."

Ms Harney expressed interest in a new coalition, saying: "We would not run away from government, but would only be there if we thought we would have a meaningful role, and were genuinely in power, having our policy agenda implemented."

A period of weeks has been left aside for negotiations about forming the next government.