Green Party leader John Gormley has offered to replace Enda Kenny in tomorrow’s televised leaders' debate on TV3.
Following Mr Kenny’s decision to boycott the three-way discussion, Mr Gormley said he had written to the station, proposing himself as a “last minute” stand-in for the Fine Gael leader.
The row over the first televised leaders’ debate of the campaign overshadowed much of the campaigning last week.
This followed Mr Kenny's declaration that he would not attend a show hosted by TV3’s Vincent Browne because of remarks made by the broadcaster last year about suicide. Yesterday, Mr Kenny also said timing of the debate did not suit his schedule.
Today, Mr Gormley entered the fray, saying his party had always argued that a five-way leaders' debate was the best way for voters to know precisely who and what they were being asked to support.
However, in an effort to be "helpful" to the organisers and the voters, Mr Gormley said he had offered to step in as a last-minute replacement for Mr Kenny.
"I have pointed out that in the last three elections people from parties other than Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour have held senior ministries making decisions which affected people's daily lives. Since something similar could very well happen after February 25th, hearing from all five leaders on the same footing is the best way of dealing with this," Mr Gormley added.
RTÉ plans to go ahead with a five-way debate on Monday, February 14th. Mr Kenny has agreed to take part in this debate along with the leaders of Fianna Fáil, Labour, Sinn Féin and the Greens.
Agreement has still to be reached on a three-way debate of party leaders on RTÉ, proposed for February 22nd, which Mr Kenny wants to see broadcast on both RTÉ and TV3.
Fine Gael’s director of elections Phil Hogan said the party leader had no difficulty participating in a debate at any time, but he certainly was not going to participate in six debates.
Mr Hogan said the party wanted a three-way debate, and one in Irish, at the end of the election campaign.
He said Fine Gael had suggested RTE and TV3 could simultaneously transmit a debate. He said it was up to the two stations to “resolve their differences” so that the greatest number of people could see a leaders’ debate.
Separately, the party leaders were invited to an "independent" debate chaired by economist David McWilliams in Dublin next week.
The Republic2011 campaign by young musicians and artists is hosting an evening of political debate, music and comedy on February 15th.
Organiser Candice Gordon said leaders and candidates from each political party and some independents had been invited to answer public questions which would be relayed through Twitter and text message.
