Independents:It was a bad night for Independents with many, as expected, losing out to both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
Though technically not an Independent, Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins was one of the most high-profile independent voices to lose his seat.
He lost the last seat to Labour's Joan Burton in Dublin West where Minister of State Brian Lenihan and Fine Gael's Leo Varadkar were both comfortably elected. His loss removes one of the most colourful and articulate TDs from the Dáil. He said: "I think that the national contest between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael squeezed out smaller parties. The fight goes on."
Another high-profile casualty was the Mayo Independent Jerry Cowley. He lost out to an outstanding performance by Fine Gael in Enda Kenny's home constituency.
Both Paudge Connolly in Cavan-Monaghan and James Breen in Clare, who both were elected in 2002 on health-related platforms, also lost their seats.
Another Independent who lost to Fine Gael was Kildare North TD Catherine Murphy who was only elected in a byelection in 2005. She lost her seat on the last count to Fine Gael's Bernard Durkan.
In the 2007 election, she lost her seat on the last count after Bernard Durkan received a massive transfer when his running mate Darren Scully was eliminated.
Former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry bucked the trend by topping the poll in Tipperary North for the third time.
He said: "I am now available to have discussions in the interests of the people that I serve here in Tipperary in relation to the formation of the next government."