Taoiseach Enda Kenny has apologised for remarks he made about "whingers" in Castlebar at the weekend.
Mr Kenny said he was not referring to any member of the public.
If any offence had been taken, he wished to "unreservedly withdraw that", he said.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach faced anti-water campaigners in Waterford, while the Fianna Fáil leader had to abandon a canvass in Crumlin after it was disrupted by anti-austerity protesters.
Both Labour and Sinn Féin have warned against a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil government.
In Castlebar on Saturday, Mr Kenny said they had some All-Ireland champions in the town – he referenced the "whingers" that he said he heard every week who said nothing had happened.
Yesterday he defended the remarks, saying they were directed at Fianna Fáil.
However, today he withdrew the remarks and said voters were entitled to inform him of their anxieties and concerns.
Kenny apologises for 'whingers' remark, as Martin abandons canvass in Crumlin over anti-austerity protesters #ge16https://t.co/1laQpHqwps
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 22, 2016
In Waterford, Mr Kenny faced protesters campaigning against water charges on his way in and out of a company in the city.
Back in Dublin, Micheál Martin also ran into anti-austerity protesters on a canvass of Crumlin village.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin’s canvass in Crumlin was abandoned due to protesters #ge16https://t.co/x84m03xMmu
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 22, 2016
Mr Martin left the area after a number of minutes and his canvass of the constituency continued elsewhere.
Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald described the Taosieach as a bit of a "whinger" and also warned against a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil coalition, describing it as a nightmare scenario.
Tánaiste Joan Burton warned that a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil coalition would be a right-wing administration and she also warned against a large number of Independents in government.
