The two Government parties have today launched attacks on the main opposition parties, on the economy.

The final week of the campaign is now underway, as this day week the nation will cast its votes, and with the Taoiseach out of the country, it was Minister's Simon Coveney and Richard Bruton fronting the Fine Gael campaign.

Mr Coveney says Fianna Fáil are in multiple different ways being dishonest:, and they will promise “whatever it takes.”

“Micheal Martin will promise it, whatever it takes to win your votes,” he said. That is the kind of politics that has destroyed Ireland twice.”

Labour has launched a similar attack on Sinn Féin saying they don't understand the economy of the South - Joan Burton says the Sinn Féin manifesto “is really built around slogans, rather than around a lot of thoughtfulness about how you would actually implement, put money into people’s pockets and put money into services.”

Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald was launching a new campaign billboard on abolishing water charges, but a passer-by wasn't happy with tax policies and chose to question Ms McDonald on them.

Fianna Fáil's focus today was on education - with Charlie McConologue promising to cut class sizes to a ratio of 23 to one.

Micheál Martin heads to Mayo tonight for a rally in Enda Kenny's home ground in Castlebar.

When the Taoiseach gets back from Brussels he will have his own rally in the town tomorrow.