Door open for Kenny in TV3 debate

BOSSES at TV3 have kept the door open for Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny to change his mind about tonight’s debate and will not finalise the format until later today.

Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin have confirmed their attendance at the event which will be moderated by broadcaster Vincent Browne, unless Mr Kenny turns up.

The leaders will spar for one hour. This will form part of a two-hour broadcast on the station. And both Mr Martin and Mr Gilmore will spend time today preparing for the event.

However, Mr Kenny remains insistent he is too busy and will instead attend a townhall meeting in Carrick-on-Shannon at the same time as the debate gets under way.

He said he would still take part in two English language debates later in the campaign.

TV3 said he could still turn up if he wanted to and it would accommodate him with a change of presenter if necessary. In that case its political editor Ursula Halligan would chair the event.

Yesterday Green Party leader John Gormley offered to take the place of Mr Kenny for the debate.

“I have pointed out that in the last three elections people from parties other than Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour have held senior ministries making decisions which affected people’s daily lives. Since something similar could very well happen after February 25, hearing from all five leaders on the same footing is the best way of dealing with this,” he said.

And the Labour Party’s Pat Rabbitte said he hoped the Fine Gael leader would have a change of heart.

“I thought we had left behind the days when anybody would seem to dictate the shape of these debates. I think it’s important that the people who offer to lead the country, that the citizens would be given an opportunity to assess their performances in public.

“Fianna Fáil used to do this with the days of Mr Ahern. Mr Ahern did it very successfully in 2002 when he delayed any public debate until the election was pretty much over.

“We don’t see that it’s a matter for politicians to seek to dictate the terms. People offering to hold positions of leadership ought to submit themselves to giving people the opportunity to assess their performance,” he said.

Mr Rabbitte’s party leader, Mr Gilmore, said it was effectively an interview with the Irish people and it should be attended.