By-election results - Electorate votes to snub politics

In the last 30 years, governments have rarely won any by-election, so Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats are resorting to that to explain their defeats in the Meath and Kildare North by-elections.

Fianna Fáil should be particularly disappointed with its performance in Co Meath, after putting in a huge campaign effort there.

Although Fine Gael only retained John Bruton’s old seat, this was a distinct boost for Enda Kenny. In political terms he has not put a foot wrong, notwithstanding his party’s rather weak showing in the public opinion pools.

In the polls that really count - election results - his party performed very well in the local elections and the European elections, in which Fine Gael won more seats that Fianna Fáil for the first time.

It also finished ahead of Fianna Fáil for in Meath for the first time last week.

After the huge setback of the last general election, Fine Gael has been building momentum and this is vital for a political recovery. That was the most positive thing that any party could take from the by-elections. Sinn Féin could take comfort in that its vote went up from 9.4% to 12.2%.

But, ultimately, the biggest message was that politics was the loser given that the majority of the electorate did not even bother to vote.