Fianna Fáil's promising a cash bonus to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder.

It's offering up to €10,000 for couples - and €5,000 for single people - to top up their deposits by 25%.

Up to 80,000 people could benefit, under a new housing policy that also aims to build 150,000 homes.

The whole policy would cost over €300 million a year - but finance spokesman Michael McGrath says none of Fianna Fáil's policies will be pursued if there isn't enough money to do it:

Earlier the Fianna Fáil leader dubbed protesters who heckled former Taoiseach Brian Cowen and called him "a scumbag" as fascists.

A video emerged online earlier in the week if the incident.

Speaking at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in Dublin Micheál Martin says in our democracy people have a right to go about their business without such protest.

He's also called on Tánaiste Joan Burton to stand back and think again about a Commission of Investigation into the IBRC transactions.

Earlier, Fianna Fáil's Ard Fheis called on the party to rule out any coalition with Fine Gael.

A motion calling on the party to rule out such a coalition was passed by a wide margin, albeit with a small vote.

Fianna Fáil member Tony Kelly says going into coalition with Fine Gael would kill off his own party for good:

The costs of compulsory health insurance will vastly overshadow the effect of water charges.

That's the warning of Fianna Fáil, which says the government plans to privatise the entire health service.

Micheal Martin used his opening speech at the party's Ard Fheis to criticise the government's record on health.

And he says the government's plans for universal health insurance will hit the average family hard:

Earlier he promised that the party are ready for government after spending a term on the sidelines.

Up to 3,000 members are expected at the Ard Fheis - each of whom will have a vote to elect the party's next leader, after changes agreed last night.

Michael Martin told attendees that the death of the party is still a long way off.

Tributes were paid to Albert Reynolds last night as the Ard Fheis got underway in Dublin.

The 76th Ard Fheis is the first since the former Taoiseach died last year.

Addressing delegates last night, party leader Micheal Martin said Reynolds was committed to overcoming the toughest obstacles to peace, and said there are people alive today who wouldn't have been otherwise.