TV debate:The head-to-head Prime Timeleaders' debate between Bertie Ahern and Enda Kenny on Thursday night attracted almost one million viewers, surpassing all records for previous such encounters. Miriam Donohoe, Political Staff, reports.
Figures released yesterday show that programme had an average audience of 941,000, or a national audience share of 63.3 per cent.
This audience figure is an increase on the last leaders' debate in 2002, between Mr Ahern and Michael Noonan, which was watched by an average audience of 835,000 people. In 1997, an audience of 757,000 watched the debate between Mr Ahern and John Bruton.
Thursday's debate, chaired by Miriam O'Callaghan, achieved a reach of 1.4 million viewers throughout the course of the programme, RTÉ said yesterday.
The previous night's debate between the leaders of four of the main parties - Pat Rabbitte of Labour, Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin, Trevor Sargent of the Greens and Michael McDowell of the Progressive Democrats - had an audience of 581,000, or a 38.4 per cent share.
Meanwhile RTÉ will host the final Questions & Answers before polling day on Monday night with representatives from all the main parties debating the issues.
The line up consists of Fianna Fáil deputy leader, Brian Cowen, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte, deputy leader of the Progressive Democrats' Liz O'Donnell, Sinn Féin candidate Mary Lou McDonald, Green Party frontbench spokesman Eamon Ryan, and Fine Gael frontbench spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell.
TV3 will conclude its Cooper and Hobbs series of political interviews next week with the last two programmes on Monday and Tuesday.