FG displayed a new-found confidence yesterday, writes Mark Hennessy, Political Correspondent.
Politicians show characteristics bordering on the feral at times - able to smell confidence at a hundred yards, or smell defeat at a thousand.
In the Dáil yesterday afternoon Mr Kenny could not hide his pleasure at the weekend's election results as he questioned the Taoiseach. He told Mr Ahern the Government had been delivered a major blow by the electorate. Showing just a hint of the schoolboy who believes the headmaster cannot discipline him for now, he bridled at Ceann Comhairle Dr Rory O'Hanlon's frequent interventions.
Curbing Mr Kenny's forays, Dr O'Hanlon at one point said: "A detailed question to the Minister might be more appropriate." Mr Kenny replied: "I know the Chair will be more lenient than before the break." The Ceann Comhairle bristled.
The new-found confidence is evident everywhere in Fine Gael's ranks, even if there is irritation with some elements of the media for failing to rank Fine Gael's success alongside Sinn Féin's.
The icing on the cake came with the victory of Ms Avril Doyle in the race for the last European Parliament seat in the East constituency, when the challenge of Mr Peter Cassells of Labour ran out.
Winning five European seats is an extraordinary achievement, particularly since the party has surpassed Fianna Fáil in the Euro league table for the first time in the history of the parliament.
Taking 290 city and county council seats, just eight behind Fianna Fáil, is, however, even more remarkable and more important for Fine Gael's Dáil future. The are credible Dáil candidates out there - Mr Leo Varadkar, Ms Lucinda Creighton and Mr Jerry Buttimer in Cork among them - although years of hard graft await.
Mr Varadkar's performance in Castleknock should make him an obvious candidate for Dublin West, though Ms Sheila Terry has already been lined up. However, Mr Varadkar, who has been a prominent figure at ardfheiseanna over the last few years, may be moved to Dublin Mid-West, where the party failed to make much progress in Friday's election.
In Dublin South East, Fine Gael has two viable candidates for the Dáil, Ms Lucinda Creighton from the Pembroke ward and Mr Brian Gillen from Rathmines.
In Dún Laoghaire, where it used to have two Dáil seats and now has none, the party has an abundance of riches. Ms Maria Bailey in Ballybrack, her father John, Mr Eugene Regan in Dún Laoghaire, and Ms Marie Baker in Blackrock are all expected to throw their hats into the ring come nomination time.
Newly elected Dundrum councillor Mr Jim O'Leary will be expected to join Ms Olivia Mitchell in Dublin South, the country's most fickle constituency and quickest to reflect or exaggerate national trends.
Cllr Paschal Donohue, who lives in Phibsborough on Dublin's northside, and who ran in Cabra/Glasnevin, will be in line to pick up the standard left by Jim Mitchell in Dublin Central.
The Kells-based councillor Mr Eugene Cassidy is being tipped to get a nomination to run in Meath East. Ms Rachel Daly, from Athy, could run in Kildare South, where Mr Alan Dukes's political career came to grief so spectacularly in May 2002.
In Galway West, party chiefs hope that Mr Brian Walsh, who was elected in the city's No 1 ward, will join Mr Padraic McCormack on the Dáil ticket.
The superb performance of Mr William Aird in the Portlaoise electoral area in Laois County Council has offered hope that he could follow on from ex-TD Mr Charlie Flanagan.
In Waterford Dungarvan-based TD Mr John Deasy could be joined on the Dáil ticket by either Waterford City Council member, Mr Tom Cunningham, or Portlaw-based Mr Paudie Coffey.