THE Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, has indicated his party is ready to work with an incoming government and to play a role in any negotiations "about the future of this island".
He was speaking after the Provisional republican movement secured its first Dail seat since the election of hunger strike candidates in 1981.
The party's Cavan Monaghan candidate, Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain, topped the poll and its total poll in the 14 constituencies it contested reached 45,614 votes.
This compares with its showing in previous general elections of 26,728 votes in 1992 and in 1989 when its vote in the Republic fell to 17,144.
Apart from the victory in Cavan Monaghan, the party polled well in Kerry North where the former IRA figure, Mr Martin Ferris, received 5,691 votes.
Mr Ferris was imprisoned in 1984 after he was arrested on board the arms smuggling boat, the Marita Ann when it was seized by the Naval Service off Kerry with a shipment of arms from the United States.
He was released from Portlaoise Prison three years ago.
The party also polled respectably in Dublin constituencies with large, deprived housing areas, where the party has built up a high profile in the anti drugs protests.
Elsewhere the party polled 3,651 votes in Louth and 3,208 in Sligo Leitrim.
The party largely absented itself from Midland constituencies and more affluent parts of Dublin.
The overall vote is the highest achieved by the party since 1981 when it ran Maze hunger strikers in a number of constituencies as H block candidates. It also follows successes in two Northern Ireland elections where it achieved seats for Mr Adams and Mr Martin McGuinness at Westminster and a strong representation on local councils.
Mr Adams said the British and Irish governments "must now respect the mandate which the electorate has given Sinn Fein over three elections".
He added: "Sinn Fein wishes the new government well. It is our fervent hope that it is a strong government able to act decisively on rebuilding the peace process".
Sinn Fein would endeavour to work with it to realise the hope and expectation which undoubtedly existed following three elections on this island and the change of government in Britain, he said.