Irish Leaders Clash Over Coalition Prospects and Key Issues in Televised Debate

The first major debate of the Irish general election sees heated exchanges on coalition possibilities, housing, and climate policies.

Fine Gael's Simon Harris and Fianna Fail's Micheal Martin firmly ruled out a coalition with Sinn Fein, citing major policy differences.
Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald emphasized the historic nature of the election, advocating for a government led by neither Fine Gael nor Fianna Fail.
Housing policies were a major point of contention, with accusations of mismanagement and differing solutions proposed by various leaders.
Climate change strategies sparked debate, particularly around the effectiveness of the carbon tax and emissions reduction targets.
All party leaders agreed on supporting a bill to ban imports from illegal Israeli settlements, highlighting consensus on international policy.