Ireland on the cusp of single-party government

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was today celebrating his greatest electoral triumph as his centre-right Fianna Fail party powered its way towards a possible overall majority.

With 136 of the country’s 165 seats declared at 1am, Fianna Fail had secured 69 seats, Fine Gael had 25 TDs, Labour had 18, the Greens 5, the Progressive Democrats 4, Sinn Fein 3, Socialist Party 1, Others 11.