Updated 4.20pm
SINN FÉIN LEADER Gerry Adams is “ready and willing” to debate the Fiscal Compact referendum with Taoiseach Enda Kenny two days before polling.
TV3 has offered a platform for the two leaders to debate the referendum on 29 May at 8pm with proceedings moderated by the veteran broadcaster Vincent Browne.
Both party leaders have previously declined to appear on programmes moderated by Browne but Adams has indicated today that he will take part in this debate. A spokesperson for the Taoiseach said the proposal was “under consideration”.
“Gerry Adams is ready and willing to debate the Austerity Treaty with An Taoiseach and we await with interest his response. Sinn Féin will meet with TV3 in the coming days to discuss the format of the proposed debate,” Sinn Féin’s campaign director Eoin O’Broin said today.
Both did not appear on last week’s referendum debate, also on TV3.
Government sources say that Kenny declined to appear in last week’s debate because TV3 changed the format of it and indicated that Mary Lou McDonald and not Adams would be appearing on behalf of Sinn Féin.
But the Fine Gael leader previously declined to appear in a debate moderated by Browne during last year’s general election following comments the veteran journalist made about the then opposition leader in relation to suicide, comments Browne later apologised for.
Kenny did appear in a number of other television debates on RTÉ.
McDonald’s appearance on last week’s debate was a result of Adams’ refusal to take part in a debate hosted by Browne because of allegations made about him by a contributor to a previous Vincent Browne programme which the Sinn Féin leader said went unchallenged.
It now appears as if Adams is willing to move on from this matter.
Earlier, TV3′s Head of News Andrew Hanlon said: “Both the Taoiseach and the Sinn Fein leader have clearly stated their desire to participate in a national televised debate,”
“Having previously declined to take part in last week’s TV3 debate, I am hopeful that both leaders will take the opportunity to address the public and argue their respective sides on this vitally important issue.”
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