Election Live - 5 February

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Live updates:

1800 The latest opinion poll shows Fine Gael still maintaining a commanding lead over other parties, with Labour in second place and Fianna Fáil in third.

The Red C poll in tomorrow's Sunday Business Post shows Fine Gael on 35%, up two points since the last Sunday Business Post Poll one week ago.

Labour is on 22%, up one. Fianna Fáil is up one to 17%, Sinn Féin unchanged on 13%, the Greens also unchanged on 2%, while Independents and others drop four to 11%.

1729 The Fianna Fáil leader canvassed in his Cork South Central consititency today.

Micheál Martin was greeted by many people but also had to deal with some disenchanted voters.

1600 Fine Gael enterprise spokesperson Richard Bruton has said his party is determined that the cost of borrowing will be reduced by banks changing their patterns.

Commenting on his party's plans to reduce interest rates on mortgages for certain people, Mr Bruton said under the bank legislation that was put through the Dáil, the Finance Minister has the powers to supervise and scrutinise that that is done in a fair way by the banks.

1505 Fianna Fáil's John McGuinness has said his party's Retrofit Plan will create 5,000 jobs.

'Under our Recovery Plan, we will use monies from the national pension reserve fund for projects such as retrofitting', he said.

1430 Labour leader Eamon Gilmore has said there are a number of issues with the Fine Gael proposal to increase mortgage interest relief for those who bought houses during the height of the property boom.

Not everybody who is in trouble with their mortgage bought their home between 2004 and 2008, Mr Gilmore said.

On the suggestion that mortgage interest relief for first-time buyers should be abolished, Mr Gilmore said he thought it was probably unfair to ask somebody's younger sister to pay for the mortgage problems of their older brother.

He said the Labour party would approach the problem by focusing on the area of repossessions.

1405 TV3 presenter Vincent Browne has said he will step aside as moderator of a three-way leaders' debate if Enda Kenny agrees to take part.

Speaking on his own television programme last night, Mr Browne said he would step aside to allow TV3 Political Editor Ursula Halligan chair the debate if Mr Kenny agreed to take part.

The Fine Gael leader yesterday said he would not take part in a debate chaired by Mr Browne because of remarks previously made by him referring to suicide.

1403 Cllr Dr Tom Higgins has today resigned his membership of Fine Gael and has declared his intention to contest the General Election as an Independent candidate for Waterford.

1345 Saturday View with Rachael English is on RTÉ Radio One.

1308 Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said Fine Gael's plan to give mortgage interest relief to those experiencing negative equity must be properly costed.

In relation to the ongoing controversy about political debates, Mr Martin said he will partake and his only concern is that a five-way debate might replace a three-way debate.

1302 Green Party candidate for Dún Laoghaire Ciaran Cuffe today called for all Irish citizens who have emigrated to retain the right to vote in national and local elections and in referenda for up to five years.

He said 'Many people leaving Ireland today do not intend it to be a long-term or permanent move. For some people emigration is necessary to find employment during the economic downturn.'

1250 Micheál Martin was canvassing on home turf in Cork this morning.

1240 Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh has said the farcical debate about the election leaders' debate was a 'joke' and underlines all that is wrong with Irish politics.

Mr Ó Snodaigh said people would find it 'sickening' that leading politicians are consumed with this rather than serious issues such as thousands of people losing jobs and thousands more being forced to emigrate.

1225 Labour leader Eamon Gilmore has said he would welcome a three way debate at TV3 next Tuesday and urged Enda Kenny to attend.

Speaking this morning, Mr Gilmore said voters in this election would choose whether or not they wanted a party in power who would re-negotiate the EU/IMF dea.

He said this was the first election since the foundation of the State that could result in a Government led by the Labour party.

1158 Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has dismissed any attempt by European leaders to get changes to Ireland's corporate tax rate onto the reform agenda.

In a direct message to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Mr Kenny said he had already made it perfectly clear to both that Ireland retained taxation decision making, and it would be defended 'regardless of comments from abroad'.

Mr Kenny, responding to questions about a vacant seat at the planned TV3 debate, said 'it would stand as a symbol to those forced to emigrate' in recent years.

1120 Fine Gael's Richard Bruton has announced the party would introduce a ministerial car pool system, which they say would cut costs by half.

All senior public service appointments would be open to outside competition and a third of positions reserved for external candidates.

'Serious change must start at the top of Government to show that our plans are serious and credible,' said Mr Bruton.

1020 Countrywide's Donna O'Sullivan finds out what matters to farmers when they are deciding who to vote for.

1000 Details of television debates between party leaders remain uncertain as the election campaign enters its fourth full day.

Fine Gael is to give details of its plans to cut back on official transport for ministers.

Sinn Féin President and candidate for Louth Gerry Adams will officially launch the party's election campaign in Dublin tomorrow.