Micheál Martin says he has managed to bring forward "transformative change" throughout his career in education and health.

Image source, RTE

He says his party will focus on areas such as health, affordable childcare and homelessness.

Image source, RTÉ

Leo Varadkar is asked the first question.

He said this is going to be a "change election".

He said he knows that it is going to be a new government, but that people need to make up their mind who is going to lead that government.

But, he said that people need to be wary of the change they want.

"In Britain they voted for change and they got Brexit," he said.

Fine Gael:

• The party has promised to provide more than 10,000 newly built homes at affordable prices on both public and private lands between now and 2025.
• It promises to increase the the maximum Help to Buy refund to €30,000 for first time buyers for new or self-build properties valued at up to €500,000.

• It has also committed to a comprehensive review of the tax treatment of landlords.

Fianna Fáil:

• The party says it will build 50,000 affordable homes that will cost less than €250,000.
• It promises to reduce development levies to help deliver 200,000 new homes by 2025.
• The party said it will directly build 50,000 social homes.

• It will also establish a new €168m "Preventing Homelessness" fighting fund.

Sinn Féin:

• The party has pledged to build 100,000 council homes over five years, at a cost of €6.5bn.
• It also promises to abolish the property tax at a cost of €485m per annum and it will give the Central Bank the powers to cap mortgage interest rates.
• The party said a refundable tax credit will reduce rent by €1,500 a year, while they have also pledged to freeze rents for three years.

RTÉ political correspondent Micheál Lehane says that contrary to earlier reports, voters in the county of Tipperary may still go to the polls on Saturday.

The election had been postponed in Tipperary after the death of independent candidate Marese Skehan on Monday. Irish laws state that in the event of a death, nominations must re-open.

Image source, Getty Images

While the dark clouds of the recession are gone, they have not been forgotten.

After a period of flat budgets up to late 2015, the budget is now in surplus and rising.

But previous policies are still having a direct impact on people’s pockets.

Instead of a "giveaway" pre-election budget, Fine Gael used the Brexit threat to present a tight budget package for this year

Image source, Getty Images

Waiting lists and overcrowding remains an outstanding issue.

More than 553,000 people were waiting for an outpatient appointment in December, according to the monthly figures published by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). That was an increase of 37,000 on the previous year.

A further 210,000 are waiting for inpatient, day-case or follow-on procedures.

Image source, Getty Images

Housing is probably the most pressing issue for Irish urban voters.

Put simply, the number of homes needed in Ireland's major towns and cities is drastically below the level required to house the demand.

Average monthly rent nationwide was €1,402 in the last three months of 2019, according to property website Daft.ie - although this level actually marks the first fall in rent prices in the last eight years.

The high prices in rented accommodation has been blamed for Ireland's homelessness crisis.

While you wait for the debate to start, our colleagues in the politics unit have been in Dublin as the election campaign heats up.

This week's Red Lines podcast, presented by Mark Carruthers, talks all things Dáil related with three Irish journalists who have covered their fair share of elections.

Image source, PA Media

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was a late addition to the RTÉ leaders' election debate.

The debate was originally between Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.

With days to go to the general election in the Republic of Ireland, a Sunday Business Post/Red C poll, external put Sinn Féin joint top, level with Fianna Fáil.

Read more here.

The Republic of Ireland is deciding who will lead it for, potentially, the next five years.

Tonight the leaders of the three largest parties in Ireland will try to win over the voters in a live televised debate.

Leo Varadkar is fighting to win a third successive term in government for his party, Fine Gael.

The main challenger to replace him as prime minister, or taoiseach, is the leader of Fianna Fáil, Micheál Martin.

Polls are suggesting that during the campaign, there's been an increase in support for Sinn Féin, led by Mary Lou McDonald.

Read more here.