The Green Party has launched its manifesto pledges for Dublin, arguing for greater investment in public transport, cheaper housing and curbs on property developers' profits.
Insisting that they could take four or five seats in the capital, the Greens insisted the public was "angry with the Government", despite the opinion poll figures.
Outgoing Dublin South East TD Mr John Gormley said the party had "an excellent chance in all five seat constituencies" and strong hopes elsewhere.
"Dublin does not compare well with other cities, in terms of quality of life. People know that the quality of life has deteriorated, despite the Celtic Tiger," he declared.
Excluding don't knows, the Greens have 6 per cent support in Dublin, according to a recent Irish Independent/IMS survey though this rises to 8 per cent when the uncommitted votes are shared.
Dublin South candidate, Cllr Eamon Ryan, said the other parties are "beating about the bush" on public transport. The Greens, on the other hand, want €2 billion spent on Luas and suburban rail services.
"We are openly saying that we will prioritise urban public transport so that hours rather than minutes can be shaved off people's commuting times every day.
"If money is short over the next few years, what will they spend it on? Public transport - or a motor- way to Waterford that even the National Roads Authority says is not needed," he declared.
The speed limit in most areas in the capital should be cut to 20 mph, he said. "This will not slow traffic down. In fact, it will have the opposite effect." On housing, Dún Laoghaire candidate, Cllr Ciaran Cuffe, said 16,000 people were on local authority waiting lists in the Greater Dublin area.
Dublin's current sprawling development, which had created "soulless commuter belts rather than communities" must be stopped by encouraging people to live close to the city centre.
The property "price bubble" could be deflated by extending the first time buyer's grant to those buying second-hand homes, and by abolishing stamp duty for those trading down to smaller homes.
The massive profits made by property developers should be curbed: "Communities, rather than developers must benefit from rezoning," Cllr Cuffe said at the launch held on the Millennium Bridge.
Criticising the Campus Stadium Ireland proposal, Dublin West candidate, Mr Paul Gogarty said: "The Bertie Bowl is nothing other than a monument to the vanity of the Taoiseach."
Supporting a new 50,000 seater stadium close to the city centre, Mr Gogarty said the rest of the Stadium Ireland budget should be spent on upgrading local playgrounds and pitches.
