All eyes on Kenny as Fine Gael denies censoring Newstalk on pension scrutiny

FINE GAEL was forced to deny it censored a radio station interview with Enda Kenny as he came under criticism for “running away from scrutiny” over his pension from his previous career as a teacher.

As Mr Kenny faced into the final week of campaigning in an election which could see his party get its first overall majority, the Fine Gael leader warned: “There is no escaping the reality that there are tough times ahead”

He said there have so far been no discussions with the Labour Party over a possible coalition after Friday’s vote, and said he will consider making a recommendation on Fine Gael transfers by Thursday.

But his campaign was dominated yesterday by a row over whether there was an arrangement with Newstalk radio not to ask him about his €100,000 lump sum and €30,000-a-year teacher pension entitlement which he said on Sunday he would not accept.

Newstalk breakfast presenter, Chris Donoghue told listeners that when he pre-recorded the interview with Mr Kenny on Sunday night “they just asked that the pension not be spoken about, that he would not be making comments to us.”

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin immediately responded that “he should be prepared to answer any question that an interviewer wants to ask him.”

At a press conference later, Mr Kenny refused to say whether the party made such a request: “I spoke to Chris Donoghue in Castlebar on Saturday and Chris said he would like the opportunity on Sunday to speak about the campaign that we had during the week and the weekend tour around the West, and I said certainly. So when we spoke in the Aviva stadium the interview was in that context, following through on his visit to the West.”

Newstalk later issued a statement saying there were no preconditions to the interview and this was followed by a statement from Fine Gael insisting “absolutely no preconditions were set”.

But Fianna Fáil quoted Mr Donoghue’s earlier words and said “the facts speak for themselves.”

Mr Kenny yesterday launched his party’s plans to support hi-tech jobs, including start-up companies in digital gaming. He later held a meeting with Irish Farmers’ Association promising to work with his European partners to protect Ireland’s envelope under the Common Agricultural Policy. In an interview on TV3 last night Mr Kenny warned: “You are not going to walk into a situation on the 26th February where suddenly the sun shines on everybody and the warmth is on our backs economically — that’s not the case,” he said.

“And the Fine Gael party in this election have not gone down the road of auction politics.

“There is nothing in our 5 Point Plan that cannot be delivered and it is all about confidence.”