Top party leaders make final push for votes in Irish election

The leaders of the three biggest parties took part in a final canvass push as they hoped to gain an edge in the finely-balanced political battle.

Opinion polls have put support for Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein within touching distance of each other and politicians have emphasised that it was a “competitive” election where transfers would be crucial.

On the eve of polling day, Taoiseach Simon Harris visited a cafe in Glasnevin and spoke with prospective voters in the Dublin Central constituency.

The Fine Gael leader took out a pen and paper to take notes when talking to Sam Lonergan, who raised lack of support for single parents as an issue.

She said: “I wasn’t expecting to see him. He was younger than I thought and he was very nice.

“He was relaxed. It was an opportunity to talk to him. I thought I’d get a chance, as I said, to talk to Paschal (Donohoe), who’s my local politician, but he never came to the door.”

She added: “That’s not going to change me. I have a fair idea who I’m going to vote for, I’m not going to say, but they’re going to be females.”

When speaking to Ms Lonergan, Mr Harris spoke about his party’s policies on child benefits and tuition fees.

Outside the cafe he spoke to a young girl called Zoe who asked the Taoiseach to build a playground near her granny’s house.

Zoe’s mother asked about school places, saying they were “in the hundreds on the waiting list”.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin visited shops and cafes in Gorey, Co Wexford, which is in the new constituency of Wicklow-Wexford.

The cost of housing, the high VAT rate for hospitality, reform of healthcare and the loss of a dual fuel allowance into a household when a spouse dies were among issues raised.

One shop owner said she was excited to have a TD who is from Gorey, which is likely now because of a boundary-redraw earlier this year.

When polling day being on a Friday was raised in one conversation, Mr Martin was told teachers said they were pleased to have ‘Black Friday’ off.

“Don’t tell Michael O’Leary,” Mr Martin replied.

Mr Martin bought a slice of Christmas cake in a cafe, while earlier in Arklow, Co Wicklow, he fed a reindeer called Deermuid.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald appeared very relaxed as she canvassed in Dublin city centre on Friday.

Asked if she was shattered at the end of the three-week campaign, she said: “No, I’m good”.

A tourist bus drove past and visitors took pictures of the opposition leader from the roof.

Meanwhile, in one Dublin constituency, an unusual draw aimed to settle who would get the slightest advantage of appearing as far up the ballot paper as possible.

Sinn Fein housing spokesman and Dublin Mid-West candidate Eoin O Broin said that he and the Social Democrats’ Dublin Mid-West candidate – who is also called Eoin O Broin – had to put their names into a silver bowl and the election staff picked out who would appear first on the ballot paper.

The Sinn Fein candidate was pulled out first, putting him in front of his Social Democrats rival on the ballot paper in tomorrow’s election.

Ms McDonald later posed for selfies with members of the public – and Santa Claus – at the turning on of Christmas lights in Ballybough.

She then travelled to a sparsely attended bingo hall in Cabra, where one of her final media markings was calling out the numbers.

The Sinn Fein leader was told it was a quiet night and will join politicians hoping for better turn out on Friday.

On quickly commenting “the retirement age under Sinn Fein” after pulling number 65, one attendee suggested she could get a full-time job as a bingo caller.

Ms McDonald, hours away from polls opening, replied: “I might need it.”