THE Fianna Fail and PD leaders said that the election campaign should return to the issues after they met briefly in Millstreet, Co Cork, yesterday.
Mr Bertie Ahern said the focus should be on the future of the State over the next five years, relating to matters like the economy, taxation, jobs, the "horrible" crime situation education and health services.
"It seems as if the campaign has degenerated over the past 24 hours into name-calling. Neither Mary Harney nor myself will participate in that," Mr Ahern added.
Ms Harney said she was very disappointed and surprised that the Taoiseach would engage in "name-calling and scare-mongering. I think the Taoiseach's statement this morning was extraordinary. He seems to think that nobody else is fit to be Taoiseach but himself."
She said that Mr Ahern had an extraordinary record as a Minister in several departments over the years. "I do not think it is right that the Taoiseach should question his fitness to lead this State." She said that people wanted a new kind of politics and she appealed to the Government parties to concentrate on the issues.
Mr Ahern said he would have further meetings with Ms Harney before the end of the campaign. "We check our notes every night. We are regularly checking our various policy formations."
