The first of five Labour Party leadership debates has taken place in Cork as the competition to be the party's next leader gets under way.
Up to 160 party members from Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Waterford and Limerick travelled to attend the hustings, which lasted for just over two hours.
Both candidates - Tipperary TD Alan Kelly and Dublin Bay North TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin - each addressed the meeting for ten minutes before taking questions from party members.
These ranged from what they would do in their first 100 days as party leader, to whether going into coalition should have been an option.
Questions on gender balance, the restoration of town councils, environmental taxes, party finances and how they would make the party relevant again, were also asked by members.
Mr Kelly, a former deputy leader, promised that if he is elected leader, he would make the party relevant again and restore members' confidence.
"In the crowded environment of opposition of the left, many people simply no longer know what we stand for and don't factor us in," the Tipperary TD said.
He said he will increase party membership, bring more young people on board, and promote women across key roles.
"I will ensure we fight on the issues that are most relevant in Irish society, we will go back to what we are strong at, connecting with people,engaging them because our message and campaiging will be strong".
Mr Ó Ríordáin, a TD for Dublin Bay North TD, told the gathering that while the party is still that of Connolly and Larkin, "somewhere along the way" it had stopped connecting with working people.
He said the party had lost the trust and confidence of voters and "the party's proud history no longer guarantees us a place in the future.
If elected leader he promised to make Labour "the party of change" - a campaigning party that will take on issues such as housing, childcare and quality health care. This would require a "bold policy" agenda.
"We want the Irish people to trust us again. We can't do that if we merely come up with the same answers I've heard ever since I first became a member of the Labour Party."
Further debates are to take place before the end of this month in Dublin, Mullingar and Galway.
Some 2,500 party members are eligible to vote.
Voting will take place over a three-week period from March 16th to midday on Friday 3 April, after which the votes will be counted and a new leader deemed elected.
