THE only new policies adopted by the Government have been those proposed by Fianna Fail in opposition, according to the party leader, Mr Bertie Ahern.
Mr Ahern began his two minute opening statement in Irish, saying he was "very happy to be here at the end of the general election" campaign.
He accused the Government of collecting "record taxes" in the last two and a half years, "while giving only token tax relief".
Mr Ahern said he had spent the last three weeks "travelling throughout Ireland, talking to people and receiving a very warm and generous welcome wherever I went."
He said it was "a great time for Ireland. I'm proud at the part that we in Fianna Fail played in creating this growing economy.
But he added that the debate was not about who deserves credit for the past, but about what kind of future you seek and what kind of country you will have as we move into the new millennium."
Mr Ahern said he understood "the problems of people - people in factories and on farms, in small businesses, at home, in schools and communities.
"I understand that PAYE workers need a major cut in taxes. We proposed it. In government we will implement it."
He said he understood "that the wave of crime and drugs must be stopped and our policy of zero tolerance is the way to stop it.
The Government has watched as violent crime increased. And their only new ideas are the ones that we first proposed in opposition.
On unemployment, be said there was a need to cut it "drastically".
"We propose a radical plan to do just that, to get people back to work. What good is a boom if two thirds of the people feel they're getting nothing from it?"
He said the Northern Ireland peace process was "stalled under the present Government" and there was a need for a "new government and a new Taoiseach who has a personal, abiding commitment to peace to start the peace process moving forward again".
He ended his brief statement with an appeal for support in the election. "On all these things and more I've heard your hopes. Now I ask for your help, for the cause of a strong, equal Ireland, at peace with itself and striding confidently into the 21st century."