Opposition get opportunity to reply

FIANNA FÁIL, Sinn Féin and the technical group will all get their chance to respond on RTÉ television tonight to Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s state-of-the-nation address.

But whereas Micheál Martin, as Fianna Fáil leader, and Gerry Adams, as Sinn Féin president, were the automatic choices to deliver their parties’ respective responses, the technical group had to decide its speaker by plucking a name from a hat.

Thomas Pringle (Ind), who represents Donegal South West, was selected to address the nation on behalf of the group.