Fine Gael leader Mr Michael Noonan has made light of his party’s poor showing in recent opinion polls saying his party’s strategy is working.
"Today's Irish Independentpoll was taken in the first half of the campaign when the campaign was only eight or nine days old.
Mr Noonan said: "Our strategy all the time has been to force Fianna Fáil to campaign on the issues and not on their party leader’s personality.
"Both yesterday and today they have been out answering for their negligence in respect of the health services. So we are forcing them onto the issues now," he said.
Mr Noonan went on to tell ireland.comthat Labour remain the preferred coalition partner and that Sinn Féin would not be considered.
"I would not consider a coalition with Sinn Féin because the republican movement still consists of two parallel organisations, Sinn Féin and the IRA, and as long as Sinn Féin is connected under the umbrella of the republican movement with the IRA, I would not be prepared to enter any arrangement with them."
He also added that independent candidates would not be considered as part of a Rainbow Government.
