FIANNA FÁIL and Labour have stepped up pressure on Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny to take part in three-way televised debates during the general election campaign by saying they are prepared to proceed without him.
Both parties confirmed that Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and his Labour counterpart, Eamon Gilmore, would be willing to debate with each other in a series of live debates on television and radio in the absence of Mr Kenny.
They were responding to comments by Mr Kenny yesterday where he rejected the idea of debates involving the three leaders, and instead suggested a debate between all five leaders of the parties represented in the Dáil.
“Micheál Martin is not in a position to dictate anything about the TV debates given his position and his party’s position,” Mr Kenny said.
“I have no problems including all the leaders in public debate, including Micheál Martin if he wants to participate in that.”
In a letter to Mr Kenny – the second on this matter within 24 hours – Mr Martin said he was surprised and disappointed at his response. Should Mr Kenny insist on refusing more debates and more substantive debates than is possible in a five-way format, he would propose to Mr Gilmore that “we proceed to arrange a series of debates between ourselves. No doubt the broadcasters will be able to arrange some format for you and the other party leaders to receive balance,” he added.
Labour’s local government spokesman Ciarán Lynch said: “Fine Gael have consistently stated that Enda Kenny is the leader of the team. We believe it’s now time to put the captain on the pitch.”
However, a spokesman for Fine Gael said last night there was a requirement for balance during a general election and that broadcasters were not in a position to exclude the leader of the main Opposition party from the main televised debates. The spokesman said the electoral commission would not allow such debates go ahead without Mr Kenny.
To underline that point, Fine Gael’s director of elections, Phil Hogan, wrote to RTÉ, TG4, TV3 and Sky News last night setting out the party’s opposition to three-way debates.
Mr Hogan proposed two debates involving all five party leaders, one in English and one in Irish. He also suggested that a “neutral venue on agreed dates with an agreed format and moderator acceptable to all parties now be arranged”. Sinn Féin and the Greens yesterday said they favoured a five-way debate.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh of Sinn Féin said the debates should involve all political parties in the Dáil. Green leader John Gormley said a five-way debate would end the “pig in a poke” approach to Irish politics. He said the views of smaller parties – who have held government ministries and influenced people’s lives – were also important.
Of the broadcasters, RTÉ has requested three separate three-leader debates during the campaign, as well as radio encounters. TV3 has also requested to host one debate, as has TG4.
Mr Martin and Mr Gilmore have already provisionally agreed to participate in the TG4 debate on February 16th. Newstalk has written to all parties seeking a live radio debate.
Sky News has also made a bid for a five-way debate moderated by Adam Boulton which would be “broadcast live throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia”. It would “focus mainly, but not exclusively” on global and Irish economic issues. The executive editor of Sky News, Chris Birkett, wrote to party leaders yesterday seeking their agreement to the debate, which he said would be 90 minutes long and broadcast in evening prime time.
LEADERS' DEBATES A TELEVISION HISTORY
February 1982:A presidential- style televised debate was hosted by RTÉ between then taoiseach Garret FitzGerald and Fianna Fáil leader Charles Haughey. The debate, chaired by Brian Farrell, lasted for 90 minutes. Much of it focused on the economy, with an exchange on Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution. Newspapers were divided as to the winner, with most declaring it as a draw.
November 1982:The second televised election debate between FitzGerald and Haughey lasted for an hour. The Irish Timesand the Irish Presssaid it was a draw, while the Irish Independentsaid FitzGerald had edged it. One of the main talking points was FitzGerald's refusal to pose for a photograph with Haughey before the debate.
February 1987:Haughey and FitzGerald were again involved in the single debate. Again, both leaders were well-prepared but Haughey scored points in attacking the cuts being proposed in a hairshirt Fine Gael budget.
June 1989:Taoiseach Charles Haughey refuses a debate with Fine Gael leader Alan Dukes. He said that such debates were "a bit of theatre, a bit of a circus and a great media hype".
November 1992:The debate between taoiseach Albert Reynolds and Fine Gael leader John Bruton is so flat that commentators describe it as a nil-nil draw.
June 1997:Taoiseach John Bruton is deemed to have had a clear victory over then Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern, who quoted statistics and reports while Bruton told human stories. Fianna Fáil nevertheless won the election.
May 2002:Fine Gael called for two debates between Ahern and Michael Noonan, but Fianna Fáil only agreed to one. Noonan is perceived as the winner but it comes too late to halt a huge slide in Fine Gael support.
May 2007:Again a single debate, coming late in the campaign. After a nervous start, taoiseach Bertie Ahern is seen to have had the upper hand over Enda Kenny. A secondary debate involving the four leaders of minor parties exposes huge gaps in Gerry Adams's understanding of the economy.
HARRY McGEE