So much of this general election campaign came to focus on last night’s debate as potentially the key moment which would sway momentum towards one of the three main parties. It was not to be. Though it was an intriguing debate between the Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin leaders in some ways.
Over two hours, were passages of really boring stuff and then there were genuine clashes in which real ideological differences emerged. You can catch up with everything that happened in our liveblog from last night.
Follow us here today for all the post-debate news, reaction and analysis as the election campaign enters its final days.
Key Reads
- Five key moments from the leaders’ debate: ‘You brought the crash, and you brought austerity’
- Miriam Lord rates the performances of Harris, Martin and McDonald
- Kathy Sheridan: Anyone paying attention to Simon Harris could have predicted the outburst in a supermarket
Austin Clarke to confront Mary Lou McDonald over attending funerals of IRA members
On Morning Ireland Ms McDonald defended her attendance at the funerals of former IRA members.She said she attended because she believed in respect for the dead
“Can I respectfully say to you, whatever people’s perspectives are, in the past or the present, I think trying to use funerals and people’s human goodbyes as a mechanism to score political points is cheap,” she said.
Austin Stack is a son of Brian Stack and also a Fianna Fáil candidate in Laois. Ms McDonald is visiting Laoise today and Mr Stack has said on X he intends to confront her over this issue.
Gemma Hussey’s death
Gemma Hussey was a leading figure in Irish politics from the 1970s for well over three decades, as a Fine Gael Minister and TD. She was also in the vanguard of those campaigning for equality in Irish society throughout her adult life. She died yesterday at the age of 86. Emmet Malone has this report on her life.
Her former colleague Frances Fitzgerald posted this tribute to her on X.
Election Daily Podcast on the TV debate
Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy and Jack-Horgan Jones share their views on last night’s televised debate in the latest of our Election Daily podcasts. Listen here.
Mary Lou McDonald apologies for her handling of Niall Ó Donnghaile resignation
Vivienne Clarke reports:
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, apologised for how the resignation of Niall Ó Donnghaile was handled.
”My first instinct in that case was to pass on the complaint that we had received to the statutory authorities in this case, to the PSNI and to social services north of the border. That’s how child protection protocols operate.
“I very much regret the statement that I made as Niall Ó Donnghaile left Sinn Fein and his political career. I’ve spoken about this before. I’ve been in contact with the young person in question through their mother and if I had it to do again, I would not have made that statement at the time. There were concerns around Niall Ó Donnghaile and a mental health crisis, but actually that doesn’t matter. The statement shouldn’t have been made.”To me, the more important and the most important matter at the time was the correct reporting of the issue.”
“Now, I accept, having heard from the young person in question and how that landed with them, that actually that statement shouldn’t have been made. And I acknowledge that I’ve apologised.”
On the issue of Sinn Féin’s call for an independent review of RTÉ's coverage of the conflict in Gaza, Ms McDonald said she was “a bit taken aback” at the “defensive note” that had been struck on the topic.
“This is to be an independent review. Independent means, independent of politics. It’s proposed to be a peer review of your journalistic peers and human rights experts. It’s similar to an exercise undertaken by the BBC, where in terms of migration policy and policy, where they did it without any hullabaloo.”
Ms McDonald also defended her attendance at the funerals of former IRA members.She said she attended because she believed in respect for the dead
“And can I respectfully say to you, whatever people’s perspectives are, in the past or the present, I think trying to use funerals and people’s human goodbyes as a mechanism to score political points is cheap.”
Gavan Reilly’s explains PRSTV using Smarties
The Virgin Media Political Correspondent dusts off an excellent video he made four years ago that explains how our system of proportional represent. And all while using a box of Smarties. Sweet!
What are the parties doing today?
Fine Gael will hold a rally in Trim Co Meath involving the Taoiseach, Helen McEntee and other party members. Paschal Donoghue and Noel Rock will also be talking to the media this morning as they canvass in Dublin North West.
Ivana Bacik and Ged Nash will hold a press conference in Labour Party headquarters this morning. They will set out the “six missions to ensure a fair and secure future for young people in Ireland”.
People Before Profit will unveil a banner with its final election message on Rosie Hackett Bridge.
For Fianna Fáil Michael Martin and Jack Chambers will hold a press conference in central Dublin this morning.
Cian O’Callaghan will also hold a press conference on behalf of the Social Democrats.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman will focus strongly on the need for Government stability in the coming 5 years, with potential economic shocks and climate breakdown threats on the horizon.
Richard O’Donoghue’s odd interview
The Independent Ireland co-founder, Richard O’Donoghue, was on Morning Ireland for an interview that raised a few eyebrows.
One of the party’s more ambitious (and probably impossible) aims is to bring light railway to every county in Ireland. He was asked how it would fund that very expensive proposal.
In the course of his response he said Independent Ireland would extend Donegal’s existing rail system. Sadly, Donegal is one of the few counties with no rail system.
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan picked this up.
Eric Luke’s photographs from the 1981 General Election Debate
Retired Irish Times photographer Eric Luke has been posting outstanding pictures from his back catalogue on social media. Last night, he published a selection from the first ever live televised debate on RTÉ, that between Charlie Haughey and Garrett FitzGerald on Today Tonight. Brian Farrell was the moderator.
Mary Lou McDonald says a Sinn Féin Government will borrow to deal with an economic shock
Justin McCarthy has just concluded a very probing interview with the Sinn Féin leader on Morning Ireland. The main news line is that the party will borrow money to deal with an economic shock, if it is in Government.
Vivienne Clarke will have all the details shortly...
Saving billions in State inefficiencies will fund light rail
Vivienne Clarke writes:
Richard O’Donoghue, general secretary and a candidate for the Independent Ireland party in the upcoming general election, outlined the party’s platform, which includes a focus on regional balance and representation, cost-of-living measures such as tax cuts and subsidised rents, and infrastructure investments like light rail systems.
He defended the party’s costing of these proposals, arguing that Government waste could be reduced to fund them.
“We’re going to do a full audit of the NGO services in this country. They’re only partially funded. There are NGOs in this country that have been fully funded and given no support. You look at the children’s hospital, you look at the design of the children’s hospital, all of which cost millions to design when all the people wanted was care. You could have built a system just like a square box. Easy extend, easy build. You could actually build something for a quarter of the price of which government are spending money on.”
Mr O’Donoghue also addressed the party’s stance on immigration, they want a streamlined process for handling undocumented immigrants, with a maximum six-month stay before deportation if documentation cannot be provided.
He also acknowledged the lack of infrastructure to house refugees and asylum seekers in his own constituency, but said that his party was committed to addressing this issue and integrating new arrivals into local communities.
Gerard Hutch is interviewed about his Election Promises
It’s very hard to predict the impact Gerard Hutch will have on the outcome in Dublin Central where he is a candidate in a very crowded field. Here he sets out his views to the indefatigable Henry McKean of Newstalk.
Ivana Bacik calls for more reception centres and more welcoming attitude
Vivienne Clarke writes
Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik repeated her party’s plan to introduce State-run reception and integration centres on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.
This could be achieved by repurposing vacant buildings, such as Baggot Street hospital, to provide accommodation, and implementing the recommendations of the Catherine Day Expert Group report.
Ms Bacik emphasised the need for a more inclusive and welcoming society, and highlighted the contributions that immigrants and refugees have made to Ireland, particularly in the healthcare sector. “Frankly I think that Sinn Féin’s policy on immigration is simply unsustainable, to suggest that there is a particular benchmark of affluence. That’s not appropriate. Across the country in affluent and not so affluent communities, we are seeing success stories of integration.”
Labour’s housing policy included the creation of a state-led construction company to build 10,000 social and affordable homes within three years, as well as the use of the Land Development Agency to deliver more homes, she added.
Parsing last night’s RTÉ debate
There are many views on who actually won last night’s debate. The suggests that the debate failed to produce a clear winner and the uncertainty as to the outcome of Friday’s poll remains.
What is clear is that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil will major on the macro economy in the next 48 hours, warning of economic shocks and trying to highlight what they claim are vulnerabilities in Sinn Féin’s proposals. Housing is another issue that will be closely scrutinised.
All of the party’s are holding press conferences today. Fine Gael is actually holding a rally in Trim Co Meath. They have not really been features of Irish general election in recent years.
There is plenty of coverage in The Irish Time today including this great piece of commentary and analysis from Miriam Lord.
And other Irish Times writers, Hugh Linehan, Úna Mullaly and Gerard Howlin, give their verdicts.
