Joan Burton defends Mairia Cahill for not taking part in debates

Joan Burton has defended Labour's Seanad by-election candidate Mairia Cahill for declining to take part in public debates.

Voting in the by-election closes tomorrow morning and Ms Cahill is expected to win the seat as the only government candidate.

But she has been criticised for refusing to take part in any public debates, where she could be questioned about her previous links to dissident Republicans.

This afternoon Joan Burton defended her candidate and said she would do good work if elected.

“She will bring to the Seanad a new voice, particularly in relation to issues of young people getting employment and the development of social enterprise,” Ms Burton said.

“Areas she has been very involved in, in terms of her own life, I also understand that she is doing some interviews, later today.”