'Big competition' was between Miriam O'Callaghan & Sarah ...
PAT Kenny has accused RTE of blundering by having two debate moderators on Wednesday night.
The broadcaster hit out at the hosts of RTE’s Prime Time leaders’ debate Sarah McInerney and Miriam O’Callaghan on his Newstalk radio programme.
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He said on the Pat Kenny Show: “It really wasn’t a debate, and it comes down to the format that they had.
“They had two moderators and I think that was the big competition of the night. Who could ask the best questions, who could be the best moderator, rather than who is going to be the best leader of the country.
“Because I watched that from a professional perspective watching how that was done, and I think that probably did inhibit the debate a bit.”
He said the best debate he could host is one where “I say nothing and I let them at it. That’s where it becomes, for me, I’m watching like a sentry waiting to jump in if I have to, but otherwise I want the protagonists to have a right go at each other”.
He added: “The moderators were kind of like the fire brigade putting out the fires before the fires could erupt.”
Meanwhile, a Sinn Fein TD has said anyone voting for Fianna Fail will be voting for Simon Harris.
Housing spokesperson Eoin O Broin warned voters that backing Fianna Fail on Friday will put Fine Gael and Mr Harris back into government.
He said: “This Friday will be the last chance voters have for the next five years to fix the housing crisis and to change the government.
“Five years ago, Micheal Martin told voters that Fine Gael had been in power for too long and that they needed to come out of government. He then went and put them in. We all know the results of that decision.
“Micheal Martin now wants to give Fine Gael five more years - a fourth term in government. His only offering to the Irish people is 19 unbroken years of Fine Gael in government.
Taoiseach Simon Harris discusses the National Children's Hospital at live RTE leaders' debate
“Mícheal Martin is determined to put the discredited Simon Harris back into government, despite everything that we have seen during this campaign.
“The best way and the only way to stop this is to vote for Sinn Féin on Friday. Sinn Féin is the only party that can change the government, and chart a new course which will tackle the critical issues facing our society.”
RIGHT-WING WORRIES
The Greens have accused their former coalition partners of wanting them out for an easier life.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman fears a new government made up of small right-wing groups will set Ireland back.
He said: “It’s been clear from the briefings that have been coming out from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that they want a coalition partner that represents the path of least resistance.
“They know that the Green Party fights hard. We fought hard in the programme for government negotiations in 2020. We got one of the strongest, one of the greenest programmes for governments ever agreed.
“My sense is certainly the mood music from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is that they like an easier life in the next government and my concern is they use these kind of populists, small populist parties, right-wing independents that they can put little deals [in place] with, but who are then in Cabinet and are actually rolling back the progressive policies of climate, on transport, on supporting families and kids that we’ve introduced over the last four-and-a-half years.”
Elsewhere, the Social Democrats said it’s not possible to cut taxes and invest heavily in the likes of health and housing - despite what the other parties make out.
Deputy Leader Cian O’Callaghan said: “A lot of other parties are promising very significant tax cuts and very significant increases in public services and investment and it is simply not possible to do the two, to erode the tax base and improve our public services.
“So, if you want to have change, you want to see affordable purchase housing, you want to see improvements in disability services, you want to see affordable childcare, a full implementation of Sláintecare, you want real action on climate, then you need to vote Social Democrats number one.
“It’s not going to be delivered by parties that are promising to do two contradictory things, erode funding for public services and improve public services at the same time.”
