The penultimate leaders' debate of the election saw the three smaller parties – the Social Democrats, Renua Ireland and Anti Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit – come to the fore.

The debate, moderated by broadcaster Claire Byrne, covered issues such as the economy, taxation, health, homelessness and housing, employment and crime and security.

The seven-way debate featured Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tánaiste Joan Burton of Labour, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams, Stephen Donnelly, the co-leader of the Social Democrats, Renua Ireland's Lucinda Creighton and Richard Boyd-Barrett of the Anti Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit.

It saw Mr Kenny and Ms Burton attempt to pressurise Mr Martin, who they strongly criticised for his record in government. The Taoiseach and Tánaiste defended the Government from accusations of broken promises.

Mr Kenny said the Government had been given a “mandate to fix the public finances, put the country back to work”, adding: “We are in a much safer position than we were. This should not be taken for granted just because we are in recovery mode.”

Accusation

Ms Burton accused Mr Martin of crashing the economy and said the “critical thing” was the Coalition had managed the economy well. Mr Martin said

Fine Gael

and Labour had broken promises made before the last election and cited Labour’s promise not to increase student fees.

“We believe first and foremost we must invest in public services,” Mr Martin said, and called Fine Gael’s commitment to abolish the Universal Social Charge (USC) an “extraordinary promise”.

Mr Donnelly said “the economic storm clouds are gathering” and said the Social Democrats would not cut taxes but would “target the cost of living” through abolishing water charges, amongst other measures. He said the establishment political parties cannot be trusted.

Ms Creighton – who was a Fine Gael junior minster until she resigned the party whip over the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill – said she was the only politician on the stage “who had given up high office to keep a promise”. She pushed the Renua Ireland policy of a 23 per cent flat tax and said her party would abolish all various tax loopholes.

Health services

On the issue of the health services,

Mr Adams

said healthcare should be “free at the point of delivery and paid for out of direct taxation” from the “cradle to the grave”.

Ms Burton said: “We need to have care in our community and we need to have that at a local level.” She also accused Mr Donnelly of “management consultant speak” and defended the work of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers.

Mr Kenny defended the Government’s record on health, and said he is the “first to admit we haven’t done all we planned to do”.

Mr Martin said Fianna Fáil wants a taxation-funded health model. He accused Fine Gael of privatising health services.

On the issue of housing, Mr Boyd-Barrett said a massive public house building programme was needed and criticised the Government for reducing the level of local authority houses that were built.

Mr Adams accused Mr Kenny of going "cap in hand" to Europe. "Instead of representing Ireland in Europe, you represented Europe in Ireland."