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Electoral bloodbath signals Dáil uncertainty

Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the Royal Theatre in Castlebar where counting was taking place in the Irish general election.  Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire
Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the Royal Theatre in Castlebar where counting was taking place in the Irish general election. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the Royal Theatre in Castlebar where counting was taking place in the Irish general election. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire

THE Republic's two main political parties are coming under intense pressure to forge an unprecedented alliance as confusion reigns over the possibility of a new government.

The result of last Friday's Dáil poll leaves the prospects for a new coalition government up in the air, with weeks of protracted negotiations on the cards after Taoiseach Enda Kenny ruled out resigning or re-running the poll.

His Fine Gael party suffered a hammer blow, losing in the region of 30 seats, while its Labour Party partner was humiliated by the prospect of retaining fewer than 10 seats.

The fracturing of the Republic's traditional centre-right politics was put down to widespread disaffection with the once dominant forces and austerity.

The full picture is not expected to emerge until some time today when counting resumes. However, last night it was clear that the political powerhouses of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were struggling to secure support of 50 per cent of popular vote for the first time in history.

Mr Kenny is to meet with his party leadership over the coming days. He said: "I'd like to think that it could be possible, given the final results, to be able to put a government together that could work through the many challenges we have."

He claimed his job as the outgoing taoiseach was to ensure a stable government.

Labour deputy leader Alan Kelly urged Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to "cop themselves on" and form a government.

The outgoing environment minister said it was rubbish for the Republic's two biggest parties to suggest there are massive issues between them.

"It's 2016 lads, it is 100 years since the Rising. Civil war politics are over," Mr Kelly said.

"Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael need to 'cop themselves on' now and form a new government for the next five years.

"All of this pretending that there are massive issues between them is rubbish. They need to come together, work together and put a government in place for the good of the people."

Mr Kelly refused to be drawn on whether he would attempt to oust Labour leader Joan Burton who has only led the party for two years.

Mr Kelly claimed that Labour went into government with Fine Gael in 2011 more concerned with the national interest than the future of the party or political careers.

He said the two biggest parties should do likewise.

"We as a party put the country first five years ago," Mr Kelly said.

But Fianna Fáil's Micheál Martin insisted the focus was not entirely on ending the animosity between the parties which permeates parishes and families up and down the country.

"We have made it clear we do not want to go into government with Fine Gael or with Sinn Féin," he said.

"The idea that it is just down to two parties, I think, is ignoring the reality of how people voted."

Sinn Féin will be the third largest party. After retaining his eat Gerry Adams ruled out propping up one of the traditionally dominant parties in coalition.

He said he would not "betray our electorate and betray the other people who need a progressive government."

"We are not going to go in and prop up a regressive and negative old conservative government, whatever the particular party political complexion," Mr Adams said.

Among the decimated coalition's biggest casualties were Alex White, Labour's outgoing minister for communications, energy and natural resources, and Alan Shatter, the former Fine Gael justice minister, who were both defeated in Dublin Rathdown.

Catherine Martin took a seat in the constituency for the Greens, returning the party to the Dáil for their first seat since the collapse of 2011.

But Labour leader Joan Burton said she was not resigning, but neither would she be in government.

Parties will have until March 10 - when the Dail is scheduled to resume - to forge a power-sharing deal.