What they said over the election weekend
"To get your policies implemented - as Green parties have done in Germany, Finland, France and Belgium - we will be looking to be in government" - Trevor Sargent
"A vote suction machine" - Joe Higginsdescription of Brian Lenihan Jr
"In my wildest dreams, I didn't think I would get that type of vote" - Willie O'Deaafter getting over 19,000 first preference votes.
"I came in on the tide the last time, I've gone out on the tide this time so I know both sides of it very very well now" - Tom Parlonof the PDs after losing his seat
"Well I know I'm an unusual guy in a number of ways but in fact the first report I had got on the entire election was when my daughter Cecilia contacted me at 5.40 in the afternoon (on Friday) to tell me things were going well." - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
"You won't have me to kick around anymore" - Fianna Fáil Director of Elections PJ Maraannouncing his retirement.
"There probably is a continued ongoing necessity to modernise the Labour party and to acknowledge that peoples attitudes out there have changed and as Ivan Yates memorably put it, that the breakfast roll man didn't vote Labour and I think he's probably right" - Pat Rabbitte.
"In my opinion, our electoral strategy was misconceived, wrong-headed and completely ignored the lessons of our history" - Labour TD Tommy Broughanon the Mullingar Accord
"Breakfast roll man" - bookie and TV pundit Ivan Yateson what won the election for Fianna Fáil.
"It was always going to be close for me. I never got anything easy in my life," - Independent TD Jackie Healy-Rae, referring to his re-election and his early days playing hurling matches in Kilgarvan, Co Kerry.
"Enda Kenny clearly thinks that he has a prospect of being elected taoiseach and, you know, I wouldn't rule it out, but Mr Ahern is in pole position" - Pat Rabbitte
"Look, we'll dust ourselves down. It was always going to be a difficult election for us" - Gerry Adams
"I don't need anybody to keep me straight or clean me up. If we are going to have any discussions, it will be on the basis of mutual respect." - Fianna Fáil Minister for Finance Brian Cowenlaying it on the line for all-comers
"When you look at the figures now that we're faced with, the people here have given their answer. Almost 60 per cent voted against the Government. They lost seats from the two parties that went in there. The alliance for change gained 20 seats." - Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny