Jobs, crime and education were among the issues on the agenda of political parties today as campaigning continued ahead of the General Election.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Tánaiste Michael McDowell missed a day's canvassing as they both travelled to Northern Ireland for proceedings at Stormont.
It was their first encounter since the Tánaiste expressed concerns about the Taoiseach's explanation of his personal finances.
This morning Fianna Fáil held a news briefing which concentrated on job creation and protecting the industries of the future.
Fine Gael concentrated on crime issues. Party leader Enda Kenny met the Prison Officers Association in Portlaoise Prison while on a tour of the Laois Offaly constituency. He said the Minister for Justice needed to get a grip on the way prisons were run.
Meanwhile Fianna Fáil TD Noel Dempsey said that Fianna Fáil will go into opposition rather than share power with Sinn Féin.
Mr Dempsey said that the policies of the two parties remain incompatible despite a softening in Sinn Féin's stance on corporation tax.
The Labour party has also ruled out sharing power with Sinn Féin after the General Election.
Differences over economic policy were cited by Labour's Eamon Gilmore as the reason his party would not consider coalition with Sinn Féin.
He also said he could not envisage a deal with the PDs, but that he believed a deal with the Greens would be possible if Labour and Fine Gael did not win a majority.
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said his party would be seeking a mandate to go into Government, but not just for the sake of it.
Mr Adams said the election was a farce because of the absence of a focus on how to manage the country's wealth.
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte was in Cork today where he set out a ten-point plan for improving transport, education and regional government in Cork city and county.
Trevor Sargent of the Greens took a boat trip to the Arklow Bank wind farm. His party said it would introduce special financial supports for renewable energy sources if in Government.
Mary Harney of the Progressive Democrats published the party's policy for the elderly.
Smear campaign
Meanwhile, the Tánaiste and PD leader, Michael McDowell has said he had a lengthy meeting this morning with the Taoiseach to discuss the differences over Mr Ahern's account of his personal finances.
Mr McDowell described their discussion as friendly and cordial but said he did not want to elaborate in advance of the Taoiseach's promised public statement.
He also said he had no problem with Mr Ahern taking as much time as was needed to prepare his statement.
The former Progressive Democrats leader, Mary Harney has said she has confidence in Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Mr Ahern told RTÉ News there was nothing in the controversy surrounding his finances bar mischief.
Earlier, Fianna Fáil's Micheál Martin said it was clear that Fine Gael had been involved in earlier attempts to place stories in the Sunday Independent on the issue.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny however reiterated that his party is not involved in any smear campaign against the Taoiseach.
Mr Kenny said accusations against him were without foundation.
Speaking on Midlands 103 radio, he said he had accepted the Taoiseach's word about wanting to fight the election on policy issues and he said Mr Ahern should now take his word that FG are not involved.
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