Deputy leaders debate recovery, healthcare and jobs on TV3

The deputy leaders of the four main parties took part in a debate on TV3 on Monday night, with familiar themes on recovery, jobs and taxation featuring in the opening minutes.

Fine Gael deputy leader James Reilly, Labour Party deputy leader Alan Kelly, Sinn Fein deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald, Fianna Fáil's Barry Cowen made one-minute opening statements before opening a wider debate moderated by Michael Clifford.

Mr Cowen said the election provided a choice for the Irish people and that Fianna Fáil offered that change. The party believed the recovery could and should lead to a better society, he said.

Mr Cowen said it was not acceptable and it was "inconceivable" that 100 years after the 1916 Rising some 1,600 children were in emergency accommodation in Ireland.

In his opening statement, Mr Kelly said the Labour Party was “the party of work” and the party that believed in “work over welfare”.

There had been a “very real” economic recovery, he said. There also needed to be a social recovery that would reach everyone. Mr Kelly asked voters not to “put the recovery at risk”, especially given the current environment. The party would continue to ensure the creation of thousands of jobs every month and would invest in the public service and in public servants, including in doctors and teachers.

A vote for Labour would deliver the recovery to “every kitchen table”.

Ms McDonald said this year, as the centenary of 1916, was a very significant one for Irish people everywhere.

She said she wanted to live in a society where the Proclamation was fulfilled. This included living in an Ireland where a home was “a right and not a dream”.

Ms McDonald said that for the first time in the history of the State there was an opportunity to elect “a progressive government” and one that was not led by either Fianna Fail or Fine Gael. Neither of those parties had “a divine right” to be in government, she said.

She asked voters to give Sinn Féin a chance and said the party would keep its word.

The Fine Gael deputy leader, Mr Reilly, said the party had a long-term economic plan to keep the recovery going. It was a plan where jobs would always pay more than welfare. The party wanted to keep tax down and invest in services.

Other parties, he said, had a plan but they had no plan to keep recovery going.

Fine Gael had created 166,000 jobs during “the worst of economic times” and would create another 200,000 over the next five years.

He asked the people of Ireland to stay with Fine Gael and Labour in order to stay with the recovery, as opposed to electing a “high-tax” coalition of Fianna Fail and Sinn Féin.

Questioned by Michael Clifford on Fine Gael’s record in health, Mr Reilly said he was “very proud of the fact that I am first minister for health to be involved in getting rid of the unfair, unjust two-tier (health) system”.

In his role as minister for health he had brought down the number of people on trolleys in hospitals by one third, he said.

Ms McDonald said efficiency and reform was required within the health system, which was “shambolic” and “confused”.

Mr Kelly said 5,500 healthcare professionals were needed in the system. He said his party in government would deliver free GP care for all by 2021.

“We need to show we are getting there in stages,” he said.

Mr Kelly also said a lot of good things had happened in relation to the treatment of chronic disease. There also needed to be a roll-out of primary care centres across the country.

Asked why anyone would believe Fianna Fáil’s pledges on health, Mr Cowen said the party had had some success during its time in government, including in the areas of cardiovascular treatment and in oncology.

“I don’t think the people are interested in 14 years ago, or five years ago for that matter,” he said.