Bruton: Too much focus on leaders' debates

Fine Gael enterprise spokesman Richard Bruton has said Enda Kenny's refusal to take part in a three-way leaders' debate next Tuesday is not a serious issue for the party.

Mr Bruton said the party leader had committed to participating in a five-way debate, and would take part in a three-way leaders' debate later in the election campaign.

TV3 is to press ahead with a debate between Fianna Fáil's Micheál Martin and Eamon Gilmore of Labour next week.

Richard Bruton - who said he was amazed that Micheál Martin would not commit to a five-way debate between all five party leaders - said he believed too much was being made of the issue of leaders' debates.

"This is about policies and competing ideas about how we are going to change this country," he said.

"The idea of head-to-head clashes is great (as a) media spectacle, but the real decision that people are faced with is the choices between different approaches on fundamental issues."