The Taoiseach Enda Kenny says neither he nor Fine Gael will engage in any personal attacks in the general election campaign.

His comments come after Fianna Fáil kicked off its campaign with an 'attack ad'.

The billboard features a large picture of Enda Kenny with the message "I won't end the scandal of patients on trolleys. Tax cuts for the wealthiest come first".

It is the first official attack ad of the general election, and it comes before it has even been called.

Fianna Fáil's new election ad

But party leader Micheál Martin is insisting he is not 'going negative' from the start.

"Policy is fundamental to any election campaign. Highlighting policy failures is a very fair thing to do, and a very valid thing to do", he said.

"And also indicating that in terms of future policy, future direction - the direction that Enda Kenny wants to take the country is, in our view, the wrong direction. That's what that is, it is a political message. It is not negative campaigning", he added.

The Taoiseach says he has not seen it, and seconds after promising no personal attacks he told journalists the following.