Fine Gael has promised a raft of changes to public services if elected to govern including 2,300 more acute hospital beds, free health insurance for every child under 16 and 2,000 extra gardai to tackle increased crime rates.
As the second week of the campaign got under way, leader Enda Kenny today unveiled his party's Election manifesto which pledged to build a better quality of life for families across the State.
The 92-page document contains policies covering every aspect of life such as health, crime, taxation, jobs, education, transport, energy and the environment.
But Fianna Fáil's Seamus Brennan quickly labelled the manifesto a "con-trick", saying it was a blueprint for economic and social regression.
The Minister Social, Community and Family Affairs claimed the implementation of the Fine Gael manifesto would deliver 1,000 less gardai onto our streets and 1,500 less acute beds in our hospitals, than the Fianna Fáil option.
Flanked by frontbench TDs in Leinster House, the Fine Gael leader said: "This manifesto outlines what we are offering to the electorate.
"Our commitment to the family is a critical point of difference between our government and the other option on offer. By re-structuring the tax code to support Irish families in the choices they make, politically, we are putting our money where our mouth is."
The Fine Gael leader said the Republic was not created by governments but by hard-working families.
He blamed the coalition Government for a culture of broken promises and shoddy public services.
"Every broken promise is another day on a trolley, another month on a waiting list, another operation cancelled, another hardened criminal getting a light sentence.
"For thousands of families it's no amenities, no proper public transport and no school place for their child next September."
The party has promised 2,300 more acute beds, free health insurance for every child under 16 and rolling out medical cards to 100,000 more families.
It has also pledged 2,000 more gardai, tougher bail conditions and electronic tagging if needed.
Government ministers will be accountable for every cent of public money, the party said.
For families, it promised targeted tax relief for single income families and carers. It said it will confront the rise of suicide and increase the old age pension to €300.
Intense pressure on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to clarify 1990s financial dealings has overshadowed the first eight days of the run-in to polling day.
Amid speculation they were quitting the Coalition, the Progressive Democrats yesterday called on Mr Ahern to make a statement on the issue before polling day.
Tanaiste Michael McDowell said new information he had received was inconsistent with a briefing given to him by Mr Ahern last Autumn.
A spokesman for Mr Ahern said last night that he would make a statement later this week detailing the financial background to his acquisition of a house.
"The picture he gave me differs very substantially from the picture now being given by him to the Mahon tribunal," Mr McDowell said yesterday.
The information in documents seen by the PDs has caused deep disquiet to the party leadership and caused the PDs to give serious consideration to withdrawing from the Government.