Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said attacks by the Taoiseach on his competence were undermining Mr Ahern's own promise to focus on policies rather than personalities. Barry Rocheand Anne Luceyreport.
Mr Kenny was speaking in Tralee during a visit to the Kerry North constituency.
Asked about the Taoiseach's personal finances, Mr Kenny said: "The tribunal is dealing with that . . . I do not descend into personality clashes . . . I am being attacked myself now. Is this the same Taoiseach who said he was more interested in policies than personalities?"
Mr Kenny was referring to Mr Ahern's claim on Thursday that the Fine Gael leader did not understand the industrial relations rules and procedures of State, and that he had shown his lack of experience in his comments on the nurses' dispute.
Asked about the Taoiseach's criticism, Mr Kenny said: "What I put out yesterday is entirely within keeping of the industrial framework for solutions to industrial disputes. I actually mentioned that a particular section of the 1990 Industrial Relations Act should be invoked now."
Asked about criticism of Fine Gael by nurses' leaders, Mr Kenny said health was "the number one priority" for him in that he had asked that this general election be a referendum on health service delivery by the Government.
"This dispute has to be resolved. This dispute will be resolved. And I make no apology whatsoever for saying that I, as taoiseach, will in the first week in office chair the first round of negotiations as to how that might be achieved."
He said trends for Fine Gael in the opinion polls were encouraging and reflected what he and his candidates have been encountering on the doorsteps.
"My poll is with the people, and moving through 43 constituencies, knocking on 500 doors, you soon feel the pulse of the nation. They want this to be a referendum on the failure of this Government to deliver on health and public services, and they're going to vote them out."
Speaking in Ballincollig in Cork North West where he was canvassing with Fine Gael's two candidates, Michael Creed and Gerard Murphy, Mr Kenny rejected any suggestion that Fine Gael may have peaked too early in its campaign. The party had "an enormous reserve of power left for the last 100 metres of this race".
Pressed on his unwillingness to raise the issue of Mr Ahern's finances given the public concern reflected in the recent poll, Mr Kenny denied it was due to the drop in support suffered by Fine Gael last October when he raised the issue of Mr Ahern getting money in Manchester.
"I haven't got involved in anything to do with the details of the Taoiseach's finances or his house arrangements - I've already covered that by saying I'm far more interested in Ireland's future than in the Taoiseach's past."