DEBATE:THE FIRST television debate of the election campaign is set to go ahead on TV3 next Tuesday but it still is not clear whether Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny will take part.
RTÉ’s plans to hold two election debates remain stalemated over what a source described as a “stand-off” between the station and the political parties. Fine Gael differs from Fianna Fáil and Labour in favouring a five-way debate which would involve Sinn Féin and the Greens. It has warned that any debate without Mr Kenny could breach broadcasting rules on impartiality.
TV3 have told the political parties it will hold a three-way debate between the leaders of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour on Tuesday night and says the debate will go ahead even if Enda Kenny refused to turn up. Fianna Fáil and Labour have said their leaders will take part. The event will be moderated by Vincent Browne.
A five-way debate involving the leaders of the three main parties plus the Greens and Sinn Féin will take place on February 18th, the Friday before polling day. This debate is being organised jointly by TV3 and Sky News and will be moderated by Ursula Halligan of TV3 and Adam Boulton of Sky.
Fine Gael said negotiations were ongoing with both RTÉ and TV3. A spokesman refused to speculate whether Mr Kenny would participate in TV3’s debate planned for Tuesday. He said a recent polling finding that 69 per cent favoured a five-way debate showed “what the people want”.
Labour said last night it would take part in this five-way debate only if the three-way debate went ahead on Tuesday.
A spokesman said the party was astonished it hadn’t heard from RTÉ in 10 days and warned that the State broadcaster could find itself “left out in the cold” if it didn’t make a decision soon.
Fianna Fáil said its leader Micheál Martin would participate in Tuesday’s debate.
RTÉ had planned to hold a five-way debate next week and a three-way debate between the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour leaders on February 22nd, the Tuesday before polling day.
A spokeswoman said RTÉ was in discussions with the political parties over plans for television debates between their leaders.
TG4 has also invited the three party leaders to take part in a debate in Irish.