With two weeks to go to polling day, the issue of health is again the focus in the General Election campaign.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was in the West today, canvassing in Roscommon, Mayo and Limerick.
The Greens launched a public transport plan for Limerick during engagements in the region. The party proposed a new national transport authority to oversee transport planning and development.
And Fine Gael and Labour continue to highlight the health services.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny was canvassing in Leinster but also addressed the Irish Nurses Organisation conference, where he was under pressure to spell out how he would tackle the nurses' dispute if returned to office.
In Cork, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said new public hospital beds would be the first task of any new Government.
He said there was no reason why it could not match the achievement of Noel Browne, who delivered 2,000 extra beds between 1948 and 1951.
He also proposed that physical education should be an exam subject, with points for third level entry.
And Sinn Féin said it would establish a health funding commission if in Government, as well as a health ombudsman to provide an administrative remedy short of the courts.
Hospital bed claims questioned
The Minister for Health, Mary Harney, has accused the Opposition of making promises on hospital beds that cannot be met.
Ms Harney said the Fine Gael and Labour figures suggested that 560 new hospital beds would be in place by the end of 2008, but she claimed it would be impossible to provide these in the time available, either by the public or the private sector.
She also claimed it would not be possible to provide the promised total of 2,300 beds in five years within the funding provided for health in the National Development Plan, as much of this was already committed to the new Mater, National Children's and rehabilitation hospitals.
Fine Gael earlier accused Fianna Fáil of engaging in 'groundhog day politics' by repeating in its election manifesto promises made five years ago but not delivered.
Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton claimed promises such as ending hospital waiting lists and building a metro to Dublin Airport by 2007 were forgotten as soon as Fianna Fáil left the doorsteps and sat back into what he described as 'their soft ministerial seats'.
However, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said the claims reflected the 'paucity' of the Opposition's arguments.
Meanwhile, a TV debate between Bertie Ahern and Enda Kenny will take place in an RTÉ One Prime Time Special on 17 May, a week before polling day.
There is, however, still no agreement on the confrontation involving the other party leaders.
