FF news:Fianna Fáil put in a number of unexpectedly strong performances throughout the country yesterday to ensure that Bertie Ahern will lead the party back into government for a third term.
As counts continued into the early hours of today, all the indications were that Fianna Fáil could be just a handful of seats short of an overall majority.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern topped the poll as expected in his Dublin Central constituency with 12,734 votes, almost twice the necessary quota of 6,928.
His performance was enough to bring in one of his two running mates, Senator Cyprian Brady.
However, the election's top vote-getter was Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea, who secured 19,082 votes, or 2.3 times the 8,230 quota, in his Limerick East constituency.
Another huge Fianna Fáil performer was Minister for Social Affairs Seamus Brennan, who headed the poll in the five-seat Dublin South constituency, romping home on the first count with 13,373 first preference votes and an ample quota to spare.
Fianna Fail chief whip Tom Kitt took advantage of Minister Brennan's sizeable transfer in the second round, taking 1,637 to retain his seat with an overall 10,124 votes.
Deputy leader and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen also swept the poll in Laois-Offaly.
Fianna Fáil was set to retain its two seats in Dublin South Central last night with Seán Ardagh topping the poll with 17.47 per cent of the vote.
He was followed by party colleague Michael Mulcahy with 15.68 per cent.
Noel Dempsey was another high-profile Fianna Fáil candidate to be re-elected to the Dáil for Meath West.
Minister for Education Mary Hanafin was elected in Dún Laoghaire.
Sean O'Fearghall and Sean Power claimed two seats for the party in Kildare South, while Mary Wallace was elected in Meath East.
Niall Collins claimed a seat for Fianna Fáil after the first count in Limerick West, while Bobby Aylward and John McGuinness were voted into FF seats in Carlow-Kilkenny.
In Waterford, Minister for Transport Martin Cullen was re-elected on the first count.
John Browne was elected in Wexford.
In Dublin South West, Fianna Fáil Minister of State Conor Lenihan was elected on the first count. His party colleague, Charlie O'Connor, also won a second seat for the party in the constituency.
Fianna Fáil's Aine Brady, sister of chief whip Tom Kitt, was one of the first candidates to be elected in Kildare North.
Minister for Children Brian Lenihan was declared elected in Dublin West with nearly 3,000 votes over the quota.
The first TD of the 30th Dáil to be elected was John Curran of Dublin Mid-West. He was elected on the first count with 23 per cent of first preference vote.