News

Election round-up as candidates pull no punches

Sinn Fein Leader Gerry Adams,Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Fianna Fail Leader Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Joan Burton as they line up for their last TV debate on RTE Prime Time. Picture by Tony Maxwell/Press Association Wire   
Sinn Fein Leader Gerry Adams,Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Fianna Fail Leader Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Joan Burton as they line up for their last TV debate on RTE Prime Time. Picture by Tony Maxwell/Press Association Wire   Sinn Fein Leader Gerry Adams,Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Fianna Fail Leader Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Joan Burton as they line up for their last TV debate on RTE Prime Time. Picture by Tony Maxwell/Press Association Wire  

THE four main party leaders were sure not to drop their guards ahead of the last live TV debate but they were not the only ones going toe-to-toe.

Labour's Ann Phelan pulled no punches when she stormed out of a radio debate on KCLR on Monday night, claiming she was "fed up of the whole bloody lot of ye". Sensing she was on the ropes she went back on air to explain she had been tired and hungry and it had been through a trying day.

Independent senator Averil Power, who got good air time during the campaign, boxed clever with a slick social media video of her gym regime. Never ring rusty when it comes to media performances, she also revealed she has had "three or four" fights under Queensbury rules.

More kerrching than ding ding, respected businessman Gary McGann, chairman of Paddy Power, was out early to warn of the potential damage political instability could bring. He earned €389,000 over five years on the board of Anglo Irish Bank, an institution not synonymous with stability.

In the red corner Labour's Aodhán Ó Ríordáin roped in a nation's favourite in the hope of scoring a local success. John Giles duly obliged outside his constituency office in Marino, Dublin, as the ill-shod junior minister fell to his knees to ship a few goals.

Not to be outdone, least of all in a sporting and political sense, Tipperary Independent Mattie McGrath was captured dancing while wearing a pair of oversize boxing gloves with his opponents' names on them.

Back to the issues and the Anti Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit revived thoughts of a grand coalition of the left by saying they would vote for Gerry Adams as taoiseach if the numbers stacked up.

And in a sign of the immediate danger facing tanaiste and Labour leader Joan Burton, Fine Gael health minister Leo Varadkar asked constituents in some areas to give a No3 vote to his coalition colleague, a move that could potentially save her seat.