Bertie Ahern - Taosearch for the third time in the Celtic Tiger Economy

Irish PM Bertie Ahern's Fianna Fail party has won the country's general election, but narrowly failed to gain an overall majority in parliament.

Bertis will again be the taoiseach (prime minister) – for the third consecutive terms has led a coalition government since 1997 - a period of sustained economic growth for the Republic

IRISH RESULTS
Fianna Fail: 78 seats ; Fine Gael: 51
Labour: 20; Greens: 6
Independents: 5 ; Sinn Fein: 4
Progressive Democrats: 2
Total seats: 166


The party secured 78 seats in the 166-seat assembly, but saw a decline in the vote of its previous coalition partners, the Progressive Democrats.

Mr Ahern now faces the prospect of tough talks with opposition parties to build a coalition government.

He can count on two independents and two surviving Progressive Democrats.

The current situation is main opposition Fine Gael polled well, winning 51 seats, but its potential coalition partners Labour and the Greens fared less well. As a result, not even these three parties combined could overtake Fianna Fail and the PDs.

The Republic of Ireland's system of proportional representation means that parties' representation in the Dail (lower house of parliament) closely matches their percentage of the vote.