THE Tanaiste, Mr Spring, said yesterday it was in Labour's interest to go into opposition and regroup, adding that he intends to continue as leader.
However, he said that if the numbers added up for the Rainbow, and there was a credible opportunity to be in government, he would avail of it. He added that a Fianna Fail/PD government, supported by other deputies, would be unstable, given the high price that would be demanded by the independents.
He predicted that Mr Michael McDowell of the PDs, would he barking outside the door as had happened when the PDs last shared power with Fianna Fail.
Mr Spring, who was speaking to journalists in Tralee, Co Kerry, said there would be an opportunity to reflect on why Labour had suffered in the election, despite the high satisfaction rating with the Government.
"I genuinely believed we were capable of getting 14 per cent on the basis of the response we got throughout the stale... I do not know if the analysts would be able to tie down the reason for it. For instance, Willie Penrose headed the poll in a constituency where we were struggling for years.
He said he had a deep sense of loss for his colleagues who had lost their seats in a very cruel trade.
Mr Spring declined to comment further on his criticism of an Irish Independent's editorial calling for support for a Fianna Fail/PD government, saying: "Anything I say at the moment would be taken as sour grapes."