Part three in the series of leaders' debates - would it be a barnstorming piece of heavyweight political theatre, or an underwhelming squabble?
As Joan Burton, Gerry Adams, Micheal Martin and Enda Kenny took to the stage Twitter users to give their assessment.
Here's the tweets that sum up how the public reacted to tonight's leaders' debate.
Early on a trend began to emerge
Everyone on well rehearsed message so far. Pummeling the resurgent Fine Fail at every chance. #leadersdebate #ge16
— Conor McAleavey (@ConorMcAleavey) February 23, 2016
New time, same debate
Early days in #leadersdebate but it's the same topics we've heard numerous times. No need for 3 such debates. At least change topics! #rtept
— Eric Moylan (@ericmoylan) February 23, 2016
Gerry Adams questioned moderator Miriam O’Callaghan on her salary, and then when Enda Kenny said Adams would defend “Senator Cahill” Adams asked: “Who is Senator Cahill?”
Why is Gerry Adams trying to divert attention by bringing Miriam's salary into this? Get to the practicalities #rtept #leadersdebate
— Evie Kearney (@evie_182) February 23, 2016
Did Gerry Adams actually just ask who Maria Cahill was? #rtept #leadersdebate
— Nikki Molloy (@xxNikkiMxx) February 23, 2016
Gerry is bombing out there. #leadersdebate
— Colm Tobin (@colmtobin) February 23, 2016
Enda’s tie was looking familiar...
Am I the only one seeing a resemblance #leadersdebate #GE16 pic.twitter.com/k9KHETTVCy
— Mid-term Break (@MidtermBreak1) February 23, 2016
It was as tetchy on Twitter as in the studio...
Interesting bit of live trolling going on between the parties during #leadersdebate #GE16 pic.twitter.com/ltBQpZEDkE
— mark little (@marklittlenews) February 23, 2016
There’s been a growing sense of this as a pretty uninspiring campaign. Ad the debate wasn’t exactly getting the blood up either
Has the choice of candidates and parties EVER been more depressing? #GE16 #leadersdebate
— James Halford (@Doubledown1138) February 23, 2016
The confused cacophony of combating voices was suddenly split by the newest national obsession - The Creak in the studio...
I'll vote for whoever has the best policy in how to stop creaking #creakegate #leadersdebate #GE16
— Johanna (@johannakfarrell) February 23, 2016
Really, RTE this is a matter of national importance. We can't let the creaking be the top trend on twitter. #leadersdebate
— Jonathan Healy (@jonathanhealy) February 23, 2016
The source of the creak has been identified. pic.twitter.com/eLHPYLfUK9
— Colm Tobin (@colmtobin) February 23, 2016
Catching the #leadersdebate from Dubai, where it's 2.25am. The fact that people are talking more about creaking than policies says it all
— Niall McGarry (@MrNiallMcGarry) February 23, 2016
It was a stronger performance from Joan Burton, but was it enough?
Better from Burton so far but not yet making a compelling case to keep Labour as a significant force. Yet. #leadersdebate #ge16
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) February 23, 2016
Homelessness was again a central point
Shameful...a good word to describe homelessness in an economy so-called recovering #GE16
— Tom Lyons (@TomLyonsBiz) February 23, 2016
But viewers remained a bit unmoved by it all
Quite a weak #leadersdebate I wanted blood... #GE16
— Peadar Raymond (@PdeBl) February 23, 2016
Housing
This does absolutely nothing to convince me that I'm not going to be rented accommodation for the rest of my life #leadersdebate
— Karin Carthy (@KarinCarthy) February 23, 2016
Cronyism came up and everyone behind a podium squirmed
The leaders when @MiriamOCal mentions cronyism. #rtept #leadersdebate pic.twitter.com/84ZL3Oo11t
— Craig Dwyer (@DwyerCraig) February 23, 2016
"You out-Bertied Bertie" quote of the night from Miriam O'Callaghan to Enda @RTE_PrimeTime #leadersdebate
— Nicola O'Leary (@nicola_oleary) February 23, 2016
"You out-Bertied Bertie" quote of the night from Miriam O'Callaghan to Enda @RTE_PrimeTime
#leadersdebate Miriam mentions climate change, and suddenly they all go quiet...
— Abie Philbin Bowman (@AbiePB) February 23, 2016
One topic was notably absent
Here is Climate Change, but is #repealthe8th going to get a run out this evening? #ge16 #rtept #leadersdebate
— Laura Hogan (@LauraHoganTV3) February 23, 2016
And did anyone feel they had been informed, entertained or swayed? Judging by the Twitter reaction at least, it didn't seem so...
No winners from tonight’s #leadersdebate. Only losers. Including the poor eejits like us who watched.
— Andy McGeady (@andymcgeady) February 23, 2016
