As Micheál Martin began to address the elephant in the room, white smoke suddenly appeared. “Is that Leo?” the Fianna Fáil leader joked as steam from a vent in the wall behind engulfed him.

He carried on anyway, keen to put the matter of a possible post-election coalition with Fine Gael to bed having twice evaded the question on Tuesday night. “We will not be entering into a grand coalition,” he insisted.

That matter comprehensively dispatched with, he was keen to move on to more pressing matters – a pre-lunch canvass of the Blackpitts area of south inner-city Dublin.

Mr Martin makes a virtue out of his door-knocking all year round, but during an election the intensity is even greater. Such was the pace he was setting as he roamed the streets, Fianna Fáil election candidate Senator Catherine Ardagh had to ask him to slow down. Mr Martin was apologetic – and not for the first time.

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He is well aware he walks fast, but then he is anxious to go places, primarily Government Buildings and the office of the Taoiseach.

Ms Ardagh, who gave birth to twins in recent weeks, will have to get elected if Mr Martin is to succeed in that goal.

She is a decent prospect in four-seat Dublin South-Central, having missed out by just 35 votes in 2016.

Every vote will count, hence Mr Martin’s desire to get on as many doors as possible.

But, in what is turning into one of the most desirable places to live in Dublin 8, there were few people at home at this hour of the day. Much like the TV debate the night before, it was a slow start for the Fianna Fáil leader with knocked doors going unanswered and those that did open up reluctant to speak as the press pack loitered. “I’m sorry now there’s lots of people following me around from a media perspective,” Mr Martin told a young woman who, off camera, praised his debate performance.

A few doors away, Mr Martin found a more willing participant, Margaret, who invited him – and everyone else – inside. “There’s loads of people in this house. We’ve loads of refugees that you let in as well,” she joked. “Do you want to meet them? Have you got a cheque in your pocket?”

Once in the door, there was an amicable but brief exchange. “Oh God, I’ll be in trouble if I am caught with you,” she told Mr Martin. He took that as a cue to leave but not before imploring them to contact Ms Ardagh if they had any issues.

In contrast to Mr Varadkar, the Fianna Fáil leader is more of a natural on the campaign trail. That’s unsurprising given his decades of experience. He is warm, polite and listens intently, particularly when more difficult personal issues are raised by voters. That said, it is often much easier engaging with voters when you are in opposition.

Mr Martin encountered none of the hostility that might have awaited a government politician – but nor did he hear any of the voter anger Fianna Fáil TDs around the country say exists towards Fine Gael.

Barry Lyons, a health worker, spoke to Mr Martin about respite care, saying there needs to be more facilities opened in north Dublin. “If I won the EuroMillions the first thing I’d do is try to sort out parents with children who have autism,” he said. He was undecided when asked if he would vote Fianna Fáil. “I always leave it to the 11th hour.”

A few doors down William O’Donnell (79) was exercised by pensions, but also the fact he only recently discovered his entitlement to allowances for utility bills. “There should be a package given to people when they retire,” he said. Mr Martin agreed – a privilege afforded to him as an opposition TD. He may not have it much longer.

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