Well, the people have spoken, now the airwaves are full of puzzled politicans and pundits trying to decide what they said.

The outcome was a suprise, especially in Galway West (where I live), for which I'm annoyed; as I said before, a poll would have been useful. Niall O'Brolcháin, said in the last poll in March to be likely to take a seat, came fairly off the mark, unfortunately.

Quick summary: The Irish Parliament (the Dáil) has 166 seats, so the majority is 83 (I seat goes to the Chair or Ceann Comhairle). In recent years, majorities of one or two seats are normal, so we all wait for the final seats to be decided before really knowing the outcome: The Bookmakers paid out for Bertie Ahern being the next Taoiseach by 9.30 AM yesterday, though technically the numbers could still add up for the alternative, Enda Kenny. We might not know until next week.

So what are the government options? We could have (1) FF and PDs + independents, (2) FG, Labour, Greens and Independents, (3) FF and Greens or (4) FF and labour. Other options are too wierd to think about. Only the first two were really offered before the voters, and even then, the numbers and stability of the potential government looked different last Wednesday. (4) is probably out, as FF would have to give Labour too many cabinet posts: they'd prefer the Greens if possible.

One of the most contentious issues in Galway has been the outer by-pass, another bridge over the Corrib. The PDs have been strongly for it, the Greens against. Indeed, it probably cost Niall O'Brolcháin the seat. If Noel Grealish ( a PD who has been otherwise invisible in the Dáil for the last 5 years) is in government, he would probably make it a condition that it be built (despite needing to run through a SAC). Hence the choice of government pretty much decides the fate of Galways shape for the future: Cars and the bypass, or public transport and a Green belt in Bushypark.

Bertie might prefer (1), but it depends on numbers and the Independents demands. He's talking a lot about 'stability' at the moment, which sounds like heavy overtures to the Greens, as (1) might be unstable. Should the Greens choose power with FF (which I would recommend now, despite viewing that as supping with the Devil a few years ago), it would allay the one big disadvantage the Greens have had in that people in Ireland are unsure what they would be like in power. A stint in Government could allay that fear, if handled right. They need to think very carefully of what circumstances might happen over the next five years, and what they might have to tolerate.

Perhaps the first hurdle is the Mahon tribunal. There is an upcoming 'module' investigating Bertie Aherns finances and affairs, a lot of which have been leaked recently. The Mahon tribunal postponed this investigation for the Election, deeming investigating the Taoiseachs affairs as being too sensitive (Others of us would think it more appropriate to know about the details before the election deciding his fate). If the Greens enter power with a mandate and demand to clean up corruption, just as the Prime Minister of the government they join is explaining his personal finances before a tribunal, life could be very interesting.