Independent TD Shane Ross has said the results of the general election mean Ireland is witnessing "something historic" as the electorate are “saying goodbye to the main parties.”

Mr Ross topped the poll in the three-seat Dublin Rathdown. With all boxes counted he became the first TD to be elected to the Dail.

He was followed by Fine Gael’s Josepha Madigan and Alan Shatter in the count.

With the quota at 10,275 in Dublin Rathdown, Mr Ross took 10,202 in the first count, leaving him 73 votes short of the quota.

Josepha Madigan of Fine Gael was on 6668, with party colleague Alan Shatter on 5905 in the first count.

The lowest candidate in the vote, Alan Davoren, was excluded and his votes will now be distributed according to second preferences.

“I think that it’s quite extraordinary what’s happened today,” Mr Ross told Jonathan Healy on Newstalk.

“We really are seeing something quite historic. I think people are saying goodbye to the main parties,” he added.

“We want something fundamentally changed, not tinkering around the edges."

Votes for smaller parties and independents, Ross says, show voters “want serious and fundamental changes to what we’ve seen before.”

“Over half the electorate is disillusioned with Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour,” he added.