YOU WAIT three years for a state of the nation address and then four come along at once.
Less than 24 hours after Taoiseach Enda Kenny spoke to the nation, three mini “state of the nation” addresses by Opposition leaders will be broadcast this evening. The glut of television statements came about because the Government declined to describe the current economic crisis as a “major emergency”.
The unprecedented move to allow Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Dáil’s technical group to respond to last night’s statement by Mr Kenny arose because the Government did not invoke the terms of the 2009 Broadcasting Act. Section 122 of the legislation empowers the Government to direct a television station “to allocate broadcasting time for announcements for and on behalf of any Minister of the Government, in the event of a major emergency”.
In the event, the Government simply requested airtime from RTÉ. The national broadcaster agreed and then also felt obliged to split 10 minutes between other parties.
As leader of the largest Opposition party, with 19 TDs, Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin is allowed four minutes and was given the slot just after the 9pm news on RTÉ One. The speaker from the 16-member technical group was “picked out of a hat” after seven of the group expressed an interest in taking part. Thomas Pringle, the Independent Donegal TD, was the name pulled out and he will speak for the group for three minutes before the 6pm news. Independent TD Mick Wallace had been keen, as had People Before Profit’s Richard Boyd-Barrett and Socialist deputy Clare Daly, along with Independents Shane Ross, Stephen Donnelly and Maureen O’Sullivan.
Sinn Féin, which has 14 TDs, has the slot after the 6pm news. Party leader Gerry Adams will deliver a three-minute address.
Mr Martin, Mr Pringle and Mr Adams have been asked to pre-record their addresses at RTÉ studios at the Montrose complex in Donnybrook, Dublin, this morning.
Asked why the Government had not invoked the legislation, a spokesman for the Taoiseach said there was “no requirement” to do so.
“The broadcast was offered to RTÉ and that was accepted and RTÉ agreed to make it available to all broadcast media. Any issue about balance is entirely for RTÉ to manage,” the spokesman said.
