Fine Gael billboard was an effective attack, says FF

Fianna Fáil TDs have denied their first election poster was a free advert for Fine Gael, insisting it had set out what it intended to do.

The party unveiled its first election billboard featuring a prominent photograph of Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the Fine Gael logo.

It read: “I won’t end the scandal of patients lying on trolleys. Tax cuts for the wealthiest come first.”

The party's environment spokesman, Barry Cowen, said it was an effective advertisement. He said: "It can be described as negative but it is alarmist and draws attention to the content of the ad."

He added: “Our aim is to discuss the policies and direction of Government. It has the desired effect people are talking about it. It doesn’t look like a Fine Gael ad. It exposes the hypocrisy of this Government.”

Longford-Westmeath TD Robert Troy said the purpose of the advert was obvious – to expose the failure of the Government in the health service.

He said: “The whole place is talking about it. Would you be ringing me if that was a poster of [Fianna Fáil leader] Micheál Martin saying something? No. It has been effective.”

Clare TD Timmy Dooley said if Fine Gael was determined to keep the Taoiseach in the shadows it was "incumbent on Fianna Fáil to root him out of the burrows".

The party's director of elections, Billy Kelleher, said the purpose was to highlight the broken promises by Fine Gael.

Meanwhile, Mr Martin launched a fresh attack on Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams yesterday.

He cited Thomas “Slab” Murphy, who was convicted of tax evasion, as a reason not to enter government with Sinn Féin. Mr Martin said: “Gerry Adams has refused to uphold the decisions of the courts, he has cast doubt on the objectivity of the courts and essentially that is one further illustration of the kind of organisation we are dealing with it.”

Mr Martin claimed linking the two parties was a campaign by political opponents to damage Fianna Fáil.

In a speech last night, Fine Gael director of elections Brian Hayes said the choice faced by the electorate was a "stable Fine Gael-Labour government, or risk it all for a Fianna Fáil-Sinn Féin government".

Mr Hayes claimed a vote for Fianna Fáil was a vote for Sinn Féin. He said: “I believe the Irish people do not want the Sinn Féin party next or near government after the next election. Despite what the leader of Fianna Fáil might say about Sinn Féin, can Fianna Fáil be trusted on this issue?

“Six of their front bench spokespeople have publicly said that they would consider going into government with Sinn Féin. A desperate party can say desperate things.”