Labour:Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said he was targeting 33 seats in the general election, at the start of his party's election tour yesterday.
Mr Rabbitte said Labour had targeted a dozen candidates who could win new seats for the party.
Responding to concerns raised by Ictu leader David Begg that parties were promising lower taxes and increased public spending, Mr Rabbitte said a "prudent government" would have to take account of changing economic circumstances.
"But we based our projections on Department of Finance figures and on the medium-term review published by the ESRI. So why should we start to make projections that are not sourced with authoritative data?" he said.
Mr Rabbitte said he would treat Mr Begg's comments seriously, and that he had great respect for him. "He is absolutely right. You can't guarantee high quality public service unless the resources are there. But fortunately the resources are there.
"The Finance Minister has brought in €5 billion more than he had forecast 12 months earlier, so our spending plans and tax plans are based on that. We have made very realistic assumptions based on an average 4.2 per cent growth as against 4.5 per cent by Fianna Fáil."
He added: "Given the state of public finances at the moment and given our commitment to live within the [ EU] growth and stability pact, I think we can afford to lessen the tax burden on people with modest incomes and at the same time provide people with decent public services."
Mr Rabbitte said the momentum in the election campaign was with Labour and Fine Gael, with health as a major issue. He said he couldn't believe his eyes when he read in the Sunday Tribune the Taoiseach saying people were immensely satisfied with the health service, and his disquiet that people were not coming up to him in the streets congratulating him on the health service.
Asked about reports about payments to Mr Ahern's partner Celia Larkin, Mr Rabbitte said it was for the tribunal to investigate such matters. "We are concerned about the issues in this election. Real people are concerned that their mother-in-law can't get a bed in hospital when she needs it. You can't get a decent train in the commuter belt. You can't get childcare if two people are expected to go out to work. This is the legacy of the Celtic Tiger. The best of times and the worst of times."
On the manner of the calling of the election by Mr Ahern, Mr Rabbitte said he was as puzzled as anyone else with Mr Ahern "skulking off" to Phoenix Park early on a Sunday morning, "when he had all of the previous week to dissolve the Dáil in a time-honoured tradition and show respect for the Dáil".
He said to then hold a press conference and walk away from questions, and to go to ground, was peculiar. "Why would you want to call a general election and go to ground for the first two days. Mr Ahern hasn't gone to ground for the last 10 years. It is very odd that he has gone to ground today."