THE PUBLIC and health services are set to dominate today’s political agenda, as the country’s main parties address reforming those sectors and stimulating the economy at their press events.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and finance minister Brian Lenihan will this morning take questions on the country’s finances at their party’s daily briefing, while Fine Gael leader will hold a similar briefing to discuss protection of frontline services.

Labour will be unveiling details of its health platform, while the Green Party is to hold an event outlining its policy for job creation.

All parties, though – with the obvious exception of Fine Gael – have left their evening devoted to the TV3 debate, with Martin and Labour’s Eamon Gilmore both likely to spend the afternoon preparing for the first televised leaders’ debate of the election campaign.

Gilmore is spending the morning in Wicklow canvassing with local candidates, but has no appointments from lunchtime onward, while Martin will visit the premises of Claymon Biomnis Laboratories in Sandyford at 12:30pm but has no subsequent duties.

Even the Green Party has yet to confirm an afternoon appointment schedule for John Gormley, who will launch the party’s jobs policy in the IFSC at 10am, and lodge his nomination papers later in the afternoon.

Gormley has offered to take the TV3 seat being left vacant by Enda Kenny, who had initially refused to take part in a debate moderated by Vincent Browne, but who later said his schedule meant he was required elsewhere this evening.

Kenny’s tour today after the Fine Gael conference at 11am takes in Mullingar, Arthlone, Roscommon Town, Longford, Boyle and finally Carrick-on-Shannon, where he will hold a ‘Town-Hall Style Public Meeting’ at the Bush Hotel while his rivals spar to a national audience.

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