Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin put in a forceful performance in the first televised leader’s debate of the general election campaign, during testy exchanges with Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

During questions on crime and security, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams was put under severe pressure by the other party leaders on his call for the abolition of the Special Criminal Court.

Saying she did not know what planet Mr Adams was living on, Tanaiste and Labour leader Joan Burton accused him of proposing that the jurors in terrorism and gangland cases should go into witness protection programmes.

All of the party leaders put in the kind of performance that would have been reassuring to their own supporters, but there was no clear winner or loser in the debate.

Mr Martin performed consistently throughout and delivered significant blows against all of his opponents on a range of issues, though Mr Kenny responded more aggressively than expected.

As the debate wore on, Mr Kenny adopted a quieter tone and engaged in supportive exchanges with Ms Burton against Mr Martin and Mr Adams. Overall, the debate was livelier than many had expected, if argumentative.

Some of the strongest words were exchanged on the issue of the Special Criminal Court, with Mr Adams insisting that he would not back away from his position just because it was the popular thing to do.

However, Mr Kenny said he remembered the people who killed Garda Jerry McCabe and those greeted them - including Sinn Fein deputies - on their release from prison.

Sinn Féin’s proposal was the height of hypocrisy when it “knew and oversaw” kangaroo courts for many years, said Mr Martin: “We will not go into Government with Sinn Fein for these exact reasons,” he said.

While the Taoiseach and Taniaste backed each other up on the economy and security issues they diverged as expected on abortion and the repeal of the eighth amendment to the constitution.

The coalition leaders emphasised the need for stabiility, while Mr Martin and Mr Adams attacked the Coalition’s record and promised to deliver a fairer society if they were in government.