TELEVISION DEBATE:TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny has declined to take part in a fiscal treaty debate with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams on TV3 and will not participate in any debates on the station during the campaign.
Asked about the controversy at a public meeting in Dublin last night, Mr Kenny told The Irish Times he had made his position clear as to why he would not take part in the TV debate.
“I was asked this question before. I was quite clear about it. I don’t do the Vincent Browne programme,” Mr Kenny said to applause at a public meeting on the treaty in the Marino Institute.
“I do not mean to, you know, be disparaging about anybody but I was told to go take my own life . . . The Sinn Féin leader has had his fill now with Eamon Gilmore . . . He’s had his debate and we have political fora around this country to explain what this treaty is about and more importantly what it’s not about.”
Earlier, a Government spokesman insisted Mr Kenny “doesn’t have a problem” with TV3 but had chosen not to engage with the channel on the occasion of the referendum. Mr Kenny did not have to give a reason, the spokesman added. “The Taoiseach has been a very energetic and passionate leader, with the Tánaiste, of this campaign debate.
“Exactly what is the finalised broadcast engagement has yet to be decided. I wouldn’t say that it involves any particular judgment on any particular station.”
After Mr Kenny turned down an offer to take part in a debate with Mr Adams to be chaired by Browne, TV3 put its political editor Ursula Halligan forward as moderator and issued a fresh invitation, which was also formally rejected yesterday.
Before last year’s general election, Mr Kenny complained Browne had “advised that I as leader of my party should take a bottle of whiskey and go into a dark room”, and he cited this as his reason for refusing to take part in a TV3 election debate.
Browne apologised afterwards and TV3 said it believed this apology had been accepted by Fine Gael.
Sinn Féin TDs criticised Mr Kenny, with the party’s finance spokesman, Pearse Doherty, saying the Taoiseach’s salary of €200,000 meant he had an “onus and responsibility” to debate the treaty.
Sinn Féin’s deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald accused Mr Kenny of “running” away.
