Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams came under sustained attack for his call to abolish the Special Criminal Court during the first leaders' debate of the general election campaign.

During last night's TV3 debate, Mr Adams was forced to defend his party's proposals on repealing the Offences against the States Act which constitutes the Special Criminal Court.

The Sinn Féin president said this was a long-standing principle and was now being used by his opponents to try to get a cheap shot over the party.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tánaiste Joan Burton and Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin strongly criticised Mr Adams.

Mr Martin said the position was hypocritical because Mr Adams “knew and oversaw” trials by a kangaroo court.

“We [Fianna Fáil] will not go into government with Sinn Féin for these exact reasons,” he said.

The Tánaiste claimed she did not know “what planet” the Sinn Féin leader was on and said the proposal was “appalling”.

Mr Kenny said Fine Gael and Labour would establish a second Special Criminal Court if re-elected to Government.

Murdered

He said he remembered the people who murdered Garda Jerry McCabe and those who greeted them on his release from prison referring to members of Sinn Féin greeting Pearse McAuley when he left prison.

The Sinn Féin leader admitted jurors and witnesses were being intimidated but claimed advances in technology should allow for alternatives to the Special Criminal Court to be examined.

“I am not going to change my position because it is the popular thing to do,” Mr Adams said.

The strained exchanges dominated the first leaders’ debate of the general election campaign on TV3.

The Taoiseach acknowledged the Government has not lived up to its promises in the area of health and claimed the issue of the discretionary medical card is one “we could have done without”.

Problem

Mr Kenny said he was glad the problem, which saw thousands of people have their medical card taken from them, has been rectified.

The Fianna Fáil leader said Mr Kenny had made a promise to end the scandal of patients lying on trolleys but had failed to do so.

Mr Martin said the Government ignored the problem until it had now become a crisis and claimed the Fine Gael and Labour policies and performance in the area had been a disgrace.

The Taoiseach said he regretted that he had not been able to live up to his 2011 election promise in the past five years.

Ms Burton and Mr Adams both confirmed their parties’ commitment to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution which bans abortion in all circumstances.

However, Mr Martin and Mr Kenny said their parties would allow a vote of conscience on the issue.

Mr Martin said it was not as easy as asking if the amendment should be repealed and said its replacement needed considered thought.

On the election the Taoiseach said the country could not risk going back to the party who wrecked the economy or to a party that could risk the recovery.

The Tánaiste insisted the Coalition government’s plan was working and the country could not take a gamble on an uncertain future.