‘Big two’ parties dismiss Labour call for TV debate

FIANNA FÁIL and Fine Gael have dismissed Labour leader Eamon Gilmore’s call for a televised debate before next month’s elections.

Mr Gilmore said he had never seen such concentration on issues of national importance in any previous set of local, European and by-elections.

As a result, there should be a pre-election debate on these issues involving the main party leaders, he argued.

“The fact that we will now have two by-elections, the European elections and the local elections all on the same day makes June 5 the most important day for democracy since the last general election,” Mr Gilmore said.

“I believe that the electorate is entitled to hear the three party leaders, listen to the analysis they have of the current situation and consider what proposals they have to deal with our problems.

“This will put the electorate in a better position to make an informed judgment on June 5. The people deserve nothing less.”

Mr Gilmore was speaking at the campaign launch of the Labour candidate in the Dublin Central by-election, Senator Ivana Bacik.

But both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael dismissed Mr Gilmore’s call.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen, speaking at the launch of Fianna Fáil’s European election campaign, said he debated the issues every day of the week both inside and outside the Dáil.

A spokesman for Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said Mr Gilmore was simply engaging in “a PR stunt”.

He said the goal of this was to give the illusion that Labour deserved to be on the same platform as Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, when the reality was that the latter two parties were far bigger in size.

“We’re not going to get drawn in by that tired old first-week PR stunt,” the spokesman said. “Fine Gael have a four-week campaign schedule that has been ready for the last number of months and we’re using each day to deliver our messages… and sell the party and its policies.”

Meanwhile, Labour said the Dublin Central by-election would deliver the people’s verdict on the “Ahern legacy”.

Joe Costello TD pointed to the fact that Dublin Central was former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s “personal fiefdom”, while his brother, Cllr Maurice Ahern, is Fianna Fáil’s candidate in the by-election.

“Dublin Central is a northside constituency which has exceptionally high levels of unemployment, rundown social housing and educational disadvantage,” Mr Costello said. “This by-election will be the people’s verdict on the Ahern legacy.”

Ms Bacik said there was more chance of Ryanair chief executive Micheal O’Leary singing workers’ anthem The Red Flag, than the people of Dublin Central electing another Fianna Fáil TD.