Fiery exchanges in the first televised leaders debate of Irish general election

Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael, Simon Harris (right) and Tanaiste and leader of Fianna Fail, Micheal Martin (second right) during the General Election leaders’ debate at RTE studios in Montrose, Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) - (PA Wire)

Ireland’s political leaders have clashed on housing, public spending and the government’s response to war-ravaged Gaza in the first TV leaders’ debate of the election.

The RTE leaders’ debate, which was scheduled for two hours long but ran overtime, covered coalition options, housing, cost of living, climate, migration, and a bill to ban imports to Ireland from illegal Israeli settlements.