Ireland's incoming leader has vowed to begin efforts to renegotiate the country's crippling 85 billion euro bailout next week.
Enda Kenny is weighing up options for a new government with his centre-right party Fine Gael on course to form a coalition with Labour, or a collection of Independents if the numbers stack up.
"The people have made their choice. This was a democratic revolution at the ballot box," he said.
Final numbers for the Dail parliament will not be decided until late on Sunday.
A bullish Mr Kenny launched a fierce attack on the outgoing government, led by Fianna Fail, over its poor communications and lack of openness.
"I give you my guarantee that the incoming government is not going to leave the people in the dark about what is happening whether it is good or whether it is bad," he said. "Paddy likes to be told."
And he kicked off his looming five year term as Taoiseach with a pledge to fight for a cheaper loan deal from the International Monetary Fund and Europe.
He plans to make the opening attack on March 4 when the European People's Party, to which Fine Gael is affiliated, meets in Helsinki. He will follow that up with a charm offensive on the European Council in Brussels the following week.
Mr Kenny, who secured the biggest single vote in the country in his Mayo constituency, said he wanted a quick resolution to talks on a new government. "We don't want a situation where this is going to be dragged out," Mr Kenny said.
Fine Gael is on course for 75 plus Dail seats, just a handful shy of majority single party government in the 166 strong Dail. His party is now the largest for the first time in its history.
