Ahern turns down Noonan's abortion debate challenge

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has turned down Michael Noonan’s challenge to him to appear in a head-to-head debate on the abortion referendum.

In his speech to the Fine Gael Ard Fheis last night, Mr Noonan challenged the Taoiseach to a televised debate surrounding the proposed referendum which has caused massive controversy in recent weeks.

However, Mr Ahern says that this referendum is far too serious an issue to turn into a party political issue and has declined to take up Mr Noonan’s challenge.

The Taoiseach says that he sees the referendum as a non-party political issue that should be decided by the Irish people while sources within Fianna Fail claim that Mr Noonan appears to have appointed himself as the leader of the ‘no’ campaign.