Gilmore laboured at the starting blocks

ALTHOUGH the election date still hasn’t been officially named and the parties have yet to launch their manifestos, the campaign is already well under way.

Micheál Martin got off to a quick start as new Fianna Fáil leader by putting his Fine Gael counterpart, Enda Kenny, on the back foot.

Fianna Fáil see Mr Kenny’s weaknesses as a communicator and believe he can be exposed on that front. By proposing a series of one-on-one and three-way debates (the latter to include Labour’s Eamon Gilmore), Mr Martin put it up to the Fine Gael leader.