FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny is holding to his proposal for a five-way leaders’ television debate despite its rejection by Labour and Fianna Fáil and a lack of commitment from broadcasters.
The party said Mr Kenny’s suggestion remained its position and said it had written to four broadcasters outlining its proposal.
As yet, none of the four stations has agreed to the Fine Gael proposal, while RTÉ and TV3 support a three-leader format.
A Fine Gael spokesman last night criticised the focus on the make-up of television debates involving the party leaders as a distraction from economic issues. “The focus on this process is difficult to understand given the prevailing economic situation and what really matters. It is clear that the vast majority of the public is not concerned with this issue and are focused on day-to-day survival in this economic crisis.”
The composition of television debates was still at “the bartering stage”, he added.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin challenged Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams yesterday to a one-on-one debate during the election campaign.
Mr Martin has already proposed a series of debates involving himself, the Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and the Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, as well as a debate in Irish.
He said he wanted to take on Mr Adams’s social and economic views and claimed the Sinn Féin president had avoided the spotlight for a long period of time.
Mr Adams said he favoured “inclusive” debates involving representatives of the five main parties. Sinn Féin had been in contact with the main broadcasting organisations to ensure it was included in the main leaders’ debate.
The party’s finance spokesman Pearse Doherty has challenged the finance spokespersons from the other Dáil parties to a live debate on each party’s economic proposals.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael justice spokesman Alan Shatter said yesterday he expected the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to step in and stop any broadcaster from going ahead with a leaders’ debate without Enda Kenny.
Mr Shatter accused TV3 of being “delusional” if they believed they could dictate the format of an electoral debate.
He warned that any attempt to go without Mr Kenny would be in breach of the Broadcasting Act which mandates broadcasters to be fair and impartial.
TV3 yesterday invited the leaders of the three main parties to a “future taoiseach” debate.
TV3’s director of election coverage, Bob Hughes, said Micheál Martin and Eamon Gilmore had agreed to take part and they would be proceeding with the debate on that basis. He also hoped that Enda Kenny would take part. TG4 has also issued an invitation to the three party leaders to take part in a debate in the Irish language.
Labour leader, Eamon Gilmore yesterday said he had no difficulty with participating in a five-leader debate with John Gormley and Gerry Adams, as well, but he believed it was important there was opportunity for the electorate to see the leaders of the three parties offering to head the next government, similar to the debate in Britain last year between three main parties.
