Election reaction: The backlash against the Government reflected a general trend across Europe, the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, claimed yesterday.
Speaking in Galway, Mr Brennan said he saw Fianna Fáil's losses as part of a Europe-wide trend where people had voted against incumbent governments.
"My main comment is that 13 out of the 15 member-states before accession had exactly the same type of vote, which was a kind of anti-European and anti-government vote," he said.
"European elections tend to be very much personality driven and in local elections, the people bring a different set of judgments to their local candidates.
"There have been many examples of general election victories coming in the wake of poor results in local or European elections, not just in Ireland but in Britain as well."
Mr Brennan said Fianna Fáil would not be forced into taking any panic measures.
"We will analyse the results, because there are lessons to be learned. We cannot be blasé about it, because obviously people are dissatisfied about a lot of things."
Mr Brennan claimed that the scrapping of the "dual mandate" was a disadvantage to Fianna Fáil in areas such as Dublin, where 12 sitting TDs would have contested the local elections, whereas Sinn Féin had very few sitting TDs and senators going into Friday's polls.
"Sinn Féin have done really well in this election and I wish them success in representing their people in office. They will now have to play their part by making stands which may not always be popular."
Mr Brennan said that a Cabinet reshuffle had already been in the pipeline for the autumn.
He believed it was no harm to move ministers around every couple of years. "That is the Taoiseach's territory," he said.