Parties begin final push for votes

Political parties begin a final push to secure votes as two new opinion polls put Fine Gael on course to lead the next Government.

A Sunday Independent/Millward Brown Lansdowne and Red C survey for the Sunday Business Post also put Enda Kenny the public’s favourite to be Taoiseach.

On the campaign trail with just five days to polling Mr Kenny will be joined by the party’s Dublin candidates at a public meeting in the Aviva Stadium to appeal to voters for support.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore will launch the party’s plans to help struggling homeowners in mortgage debt at the Cork County Hall.

Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin will give a keynote speech in Navan in a bid to rally support, while deputy leader Mary Hanafin and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Pat Carey will detail the party’s Irish language policy in Dublin.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams will launch a billboard campaign in Dublin calling for no more money to be put into the banks.

Green leader John Gormley, Dublin North TD Trevor Sargent and Dublin South TD Eamon Ryan will launch the party’s plans to make Ireland oil-free by 2030.