Twenty-four hour cardiac care, childcare, rates and rural issues dominated the first of two election debates hosted by WLR's Damien Tiernan in the Park Hotel, Dungarvan on Monday evening. The five candidates present were Mary Butler, Fianna Fail, Damien Geoghegan, Fine Gael, Bernadette Philips, non-party, John Pratt, Labour and Matt Shanahan, non-party.