Change has emerged as a central theme of one of the final debates of the general election campaign.

The leader of Fine Gael Leo Varadkar, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald took to their podiums for the Prime Time leaders debate in RTÉ on Tuesday.

Another debate with party members is planned for Thursday on Virgin Media One.

Mr Varadkar opened by conceding the same government will not be elected, but appealed for Fine Gael to still lead it - citing economic and Brexit messages.

He said his party wants change for the better, suggesting that this is not Fianna Fáil's change.

"We want change for the better - not Fianna Fáil's change,  Fianna Fáil hasn't changed, it is the same old Fianna Fáil.

"They will wreck the economy again", he claimed.

"And you will get change with Sinn Féin, but it will be change for the worst: change that risks your job, your pension, your income and your business".

Mr Martin then claimed he has "managed to bring about great change".

He said his party wants to see real, immediate and urgent change - referring to the health sector and hospitals.

He also said homecare hours had to be extended - adding that the country "cannot go through a winter like we went through this year" - referring to the "flu crisis."

Image: RTÉ

He said that the suggestion he has been in government for the last four years is "the big lie of the campaign" - noting that they have had no ministers.

Ms McDonald suggested: "It is right to say the theme of this election has emerged as a thirst for change.

"People have said to me that they recognise that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael - essentially identical parties - have had it all their own way now for almost a century".

"People increasingly recognise Sinn Féin as an alternative.

"The alternative has to be a party in government that unambiguously stands up for the citizens, for the collective good", she said, adding that "the very best outcome from this election is a government without Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael".

Mr Varadkar then attacked Sinn Féin on their past and present - while Mr Martin said Sinn Féin's climate change policy is "akin to climate denial".

Ms MsDonald was pressed several times on Sinn Féin support for the Special Criminal Court.

Without giving a solid answer, she said that "I support the courts" and wanted a review of them.

Asked about proposed home building plans, Mr Varadkar said: "We shouldn't forget what happened - we had a crash, a massive financial and economic crash 10 years ago".

He then said this was never going to be easy to turn around - before suggesting that the year before he became Taoiseach, fewer than 10,000 homes were built in Ireland.

Last year, he said, it was 21,500.

But Mr Martin said: "Fine Gael left everything to the market for far too long".