The people have spoken. Well, those who bothered to vote have spoken.
The trajectory of the election results point to Micheál Martin becoming taoiseach, with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael forming a government for the next five years.
Fine Gael will be relieved.
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The revival of the Social Democrats and the Irish Labour Party is to be welcomed. The lunatic left will suffer at their expense.
It seems incredible that the Labour Party and Social Democrats are not a single party. The latter was formed around personalities rather than ideology.
Irish politics, as in other parts of Europe, has become increasingly fragmented.
What was a two-party state is now comprised of three leading parties.
When this column pointed out a week ago that the electorate would likely settle for more of the same, some veteran northern republicans were scornful. One suspects they are much less strident today.
Sinn Féin’s recovery from a year of self-inflicted gaffes is remarkable but it’s way off the breakthrough expected back in 2023.
It has experienced the largest fall in vote share of the three main parties.
Mary Lou’s ‘Trump-like’ declaration that this was a very good and successful election for Sinn Féin may please her followers but frankly, no-one else is buying such electoral guff.
Sinn Féin will go through the motions of trying to cobble together a coalition but the figures simply don’t add up. It faces five more years of opposition.
Most likely when the dust settles, there will be a period for personal and organisational reflection.
It’s rather pathetic listening to some of the fringe players say more people voted against this government than for it. That’s not how elections work. You win or you lose.
Sinn Féin is, by a margin, the largest party in the north with 27% of the vote but still 73% of all voters chose other options.
The turnout on Friday was just under 60%, the same as for the 2024 Westminster elections.
Turnout in Northern Ireland in July was just 57%. Voter disconnection and apathy is a growing trend shared throughout Europe, except where voting is compulsory.
The 40% support for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is a higher percentage than that won by the British Labour Party when it took 33.7% of the vote and a had a whopping landslide majority.
Sinn Féin correctly focussed on housing as the main electoral issue.
Eoin O Broin was exceptional but no matter who governs in Ireland, housing remains a Herculean challenge.
Thankfully those right-wing, jingoistic plonkers were all but wiped. A ‘MIGA’ mentality has not infiltrated the electorate.
Ireland is basically politically centrist.
Micheál Martin has shown considerable and constructive leadership. He’s not easily thrown off course and prefers substance to symbolism.
Under his guidance, the prospects for a reconciled Ireland are increased.
Plus Martin is delivering for the north via his Shared Island fund and investments in infrastructure such as the A5 and Narrow Water Bridge.
The election campaign tested Simon Harris – his bounce did not last long. To his credit, he showed remarkable tenacity under pressure.
One of his biggest challenges will be trying to herd ambitious underlings within the ranks of his party, which will be difficult as he isn’t universally loved.
Ireland appears to have bucked the trend of turfing out incumbent governments. The centre left and centre right has held.
But the general election was only a test for match fitness - the big game is the formation of a government (including finding a third leg for the stool) and, more importantly, agreeing a programme for government which will be truly impactful on the areas of concern to the Irish electorate.
Voters have to feel and see prosperity.
A thought also for those candidates who fought and lost – without them democracy simply doesn’t work.