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# yes but no
Kenny says 'no' to TV debate on Seanad abolition
RTÉ say they’ve been told the Taoiseach won’t be taking part in the Prime Time debate, and will make other arrangements to have the ‘yes’ side represented.
ENDA KENNY HAS confirmed he will not be taking part in next week’s planned TV debate on the abolition of the Seanad.
RTÉ says it’s been informed by the Government press office that the Taoiseach won’t be involved in Tuesday’s Prime Time programme. The national broadcaster says it’s now making other arrangements to have a spokesperson for the ‘yes’ side to take part.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has already confirmed he will represent the ‘no’ side in the televised debate. Speaking yesterday, he said he hoped Kenny would “change his mind” and “respond positively” to the RTÉ invitation.
Martin said it was important that the Taoiseach take part in the event so the public could see politicians address “the substance of an issue as opposed to just soundbites and gimmicks”.
The Fianna Fáil leader also confirmed yesterday that he and the Taoiseach had been invited to a TV3 debate on the Vincent Browne programme on Wednesday night, which he planed to attend.
Enda Kenny has previously said he won’t take part in “any programme that Vincent Browne has anything to do with” because of comments the presenter had made on the topic of suicide.
Read: Martin: I’m turning up for Seanad TV debate… but no one knows if the Taoiseach will >
