ENDA KENNY has admitted Ireland faces "tough times" under his leadership in an apparent bid to soften up the electorate for the pain that Fine Gael will have to inflict in power.
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Mr Kenny said there was "no escaping the reality" of what was coming down the tracks because of the economic difficulties the country found itself in.
While insisting everything in his party's plan to "get Ireland working" could be delivered, he warned it would be a gradual process.
"There is no escaping the reality that there are tough times ahead," he said.
"You are not going to walk into a situation on February 26 where suddenly the sun shines on everybody and the warmth is on our backs economically — that's not the case…
"(But) there is nothing in our five-point plan that cannot be delivered and it is all about confidence."
Mr Kenny made his comments to TV3 as he came under fire for a separate interview he did with Newstalk radio station.
A Newstalk presenter said Fine Gael had "asked that the pension not be spoken about" in an interview Mr Kenny was doing with the station.
This was a reference to the €100,000 lump sum and €30,000 annual pension due to Mr Kenny from his time as a teacher in the 1970s, and which he announced he was forfeiting at the weekend.
Fianna Fáil were quick to capitalise, accusing Mr Kenny of trying to "censor" the media. Party leader Micheál Martin said Mr Kenny "should be prepared to answer any question that an interviewer wants to ask him".
But in a subsequent statement, Newstalk confirmed that no preconditions were set by Fine Gael.
"Newstalk wishes to state categorically that no such preconditions were in place. They were not sought and Newstalk considered the issue of the pension had been dealt with," it said.
The controversy came as Labour leader Eamon Gilmore acknowledged that Mr Kenny was on course to become Taoiseach based on the opinion polls, which show Fine Gael with a commanding lead.
But Mr Gilmore reiterated his appeal to voters to deny Fine Gael a "monopoly of power", saying Labour were needed in coalition to ensure a fair and balanced government.
Fianna Fáil leader Mr Martin made a pitch to over-65s, the age bracket in which the party's support remains highest, by vowing not to reduce the state pension if returned to office.
Separately, his deputy leader, Mary Hanafin, said there was "no doubt" Fianna Fáil would have been performing better in the polls had they removed Brian Cowen as leader last September.
Mr Kenny, Mr Gilmore and Mr Martin face off in the final televised leaders' debate of the campaign on RTÉ tonight.