Media coverage:Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin claimed yesterday the media had attempted to "dance on the Fianna Fáil grave" and this had galvanised the grassroots of the party during the campaign.
It had swung the momentum in Fianna Fáil's favour with voters who were pleased with the economy and did not want change, he added.
Speaking on Cork's 96FM, Mr Martin said he always felt Fianna Fáil was in the game although opinion polls and commentary in newspapers and television suggested the party was in trouble.
Mr Martin said that a year ago Fianna Fáil identified about 23 constituencies where there was potential for change and it had put "a huge effort" into winning these seats. He insisted the party never experienced hostility on the doorsteps, but acknowledged there was a major surge in support after the Taoiseach's Westminster speech. "I think the surge was from the Westminster debate onwards and you judge it from the doorstep reaction. And certainly the day after the speech, it was an outstanding speech, people were proud of it and it reflected well on Bertie and they said it to us on the doorstep.
"The debate [between Mr Ahern and Enda Kenny] then seemed to give a strong momentum to Fianna Fáil. People danced on the Fianna Fáil grave too early - journalists were speculating as to whether we would get 66 or 68 and that drew out and brought out the Fianna Fáil vote.
"The people on the economy side who didn't want change came out stronger when the reality seemed to be that we weren't going to make it," he said.