By Juno McEnroe

Political Correspondent

Newly elected TD and leader of the Green Party Eamon Ryan has said that his party is unlikely to go back into Government.

Describing his delight at claiming a seat in Dublin Bay South, the former minister also said that the Labour Party, heading for a catastrophic election result, could regroup like his party had.

He said that his party had an “amazing volunteer story” and was the first party ever to lose all their seats and come back.

“It’s a story that money isn’t anything the power of an idea works."

He also noted how his party deputy leader, Catherine Martin, had been elected in Dublin-Rathdown and how he could not have done it alone returning to the Dail.

“We’re back as a team in the Dail, we know we can do it and grow from here.”

“All the parties have an obligation to talk to each other.

He said that politicians had a responsibility in looking after the welfare of citizens to form a government.

He said it was “unlikely” he and Ms Martin would enter government.

He said his party’s policies were about the next generation.

“We can be a voice for that next generation.”

He admitted that his wife thought he was "delusional" as he had thought he was to be elected in 2011 as well as at the European elections in 2014.

“I told her at two in the morning at the last European elections, honey get ready for the morning, we’re going to be elected. And found myself at four o’clock in the morning sneaking back into bed, keeping very quiet.

“I can tell her this time, I wasn’t delusional, I wasn’t mad.”

The seventh count also saw Fine Gael's Eoghan Murphy elected, who said that it was too early to say what Fine Gael's position would be on trying to form a Government.

His running mate, pharmacist Kate O'Connell, was also elected as well as lawyer and Fianna Fail councillor Jim O'Callaghan on the eighth count.

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Fianna Fail's Jim O'Callaghan & Fine Gael's Kate O'Connell elected in Dub Bay Sth #GE16 ...they could work together pic.twitter.com/jRfLtVvae8

— Juno McEnroe (@Junomaco) February 28, 2016

Outgoing minister and veteran Labour TD Keven Humphreys lost his seat in the constituency.