Fine Gael and the Labour Party put themselves forward as an "alliance for change" today in their joint campaign to oust the Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats coalition after its 10 years in office.
The parties held their first official joint election press conference in Dublin, although they had previously come together on April 19th to publish their agreed policy platform before Taoiseach Bertie Ahern called the election for March 24th.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte were joined by FG deputy leader Richard Bruton and Labour health spokeswoman Liz McManus.
The Fine Gael leader said today the "feeling for change" he was getting on the doorsteps was quite palpable and "very strong".
Mr Kenny's words at the outset of the press conference in a hotel conference room were markedly similar to those he delivered at the Labour/Fine Gael event to publish their Protecting the Progressdocument on tax and jobs just over two weeks ago.
"It's a crucial time in Irish politics, it's a very exciting time in Irish politics, this is a very exciting week in Irish politics, and I think that over the next fortnight or three weeks we are going to find a really vigorous exciting campaign seen through to its conclusion," he said.
"One of the reasons for that is that for the first time in 10 years, the electorate are being given a real choice before the election.
"In . . . voting for Fine Gael and Labour, the electorate have an opportunity to vote on an agreed agenda. That's fundamental to the choice that people face in that Fine Gael and Labour have set out an agreed programme in specific areas on the economy, on policing and particularly on health. That's an agreed, joint platform which has been costed and upon which the electorate can make their decision."
Mr Kenny said he had made the point at the Fine Gael ardfheis that this election could be seen as a referendum on "the failure of the Government to deliver on health services and to deliver a health system that works for the people when they need it".
"In order to change the health service, our case is that the people have to change the Government," he said.
Labour and Fine Gael have pledged the delivery of 2,300 acute hospital beds, free medical insurance to every child under 16, free GP services to every child under five, "urgent care" centres to ease pressure on A&E and the provision of medical cards for 100,000 more families.
The two parties accused the Government of "wanton waste" of taxpayers' money and pledged to build "modern, high-quality public services" through reform and investment. On health, the parties said their detailed proposals "set out a blueprint for a health service based on excellence, equity and efficiency".
They committed to a "major expansion in bed capacity", to tackling the crisis in the State's A&E departments and to a "New Deal" for children's health.
Labour and Fine Gael also pledged to manage the public finances strictly within the terms of the European Stability and Growth Pact.
"At the same time, we will nurture an enterprising, knowledge-based economy, building a new platform of competitive advantage, that will deliver high quality employment and rising incomes. We will invest in public services and reform the tax system in the interests of fairness and of families," their joint statement said.
Mr Kenny said: "On the 24 thof May, people are going to have their choice. That choice will be both stark and simple. But it will also be profoundly significant. Because the choice that people face is whether to continue with a Government that will limp along with no agreed programme and a proven inability to deliver on their own commitments."
Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte said the two parties were confronted with the real prospect of being in government in three weeks' time.
"I think most people concede that we have made great progress in our society in the last 15 years or so. But there's also great disenchantment and disillusionment that the fruits of unprecedented prosperity have not been used as best they can.
"And at Mullingar, we resolved that on this occasion the people would have a real choice and that there would be available to them a credible alternative government. That wasn't there in 2002." Now, however, there was a choice, he said.
Both party leaders deflected questions about the Taoiseach's finances, saying the issues were a matter for Mr Ahern to deal with.