Martin seen to have edged Gilmore in leaders' debate

Fianna Fáil are claiming victory in last night's two-way debate between Michael Martin and Labour's Eamon Gilmore.

The economy took centre stage in the first televised head-to-head battle of the election.

As expected, Fine Gael's Enda Kenny did not show up and instead spent the evening in Co Leitrim giving a town-hall style address to the party faithful.

Mr Martin's performance on the TV3 debate was described as assured, the new FF leader laying into his opponent from the off.

Asked about the deficit, he accused Labour of chopping and changing its economic policy which he said lacked detail, but was basically "borrow more and tax more".

However in reply Mr Gilmore blamed Fianna Fáil for the current economic crisis with 450,000 unemployed and a further 100,000 having emigrated.

He said Labour was the only party committed to renegotiating the EU/IMF deal and he offered change and hope.

After the debate, Fianna Fáil were quick to claim Mr Martin the winner but Mr Gilmore said he was happy with how it had gone.

"I'm certainly very pleased with it," Mr Gilmore said.

"This is the first time that a leader of the Labour Party has been involved in… a debate for the office of Taoiseach, so it's an important moment as far as the Labour Party is concerned."

With another televised debate pencilled in for next week, both leaders will undoubtedly be reviewing their performances while they wait for Mr Kenny to step into the arena.

In Carrick-on-Shannon last night the Fine Gael leader was subjected to a tirade abuse from a member of the audience at the 'town-hall'-style meeting.

While his two rivals were locking horns in the TV3 studio, Mr Kenny spent 42 minutes on his feet in the Bush Hotel in Co Leitrim.

The Fine Gael leader promised real change in politics, that he wouldn't make empty promises that couldn't be kept, and assured that maintaining our corporate tax rate was a key issue.

Then it was opened to questions from the floor - all bar one were happy with the answers, as a man who identified himself as Bobby launched a tirade against Mr Kenny for several minutes, even continuing when the rest of the crowd tried to drown him out.

This morning Mr Kenny is in his home county of Mayo where later he'll submit his nomination papers.