WHAT A FARCE
From left Peter Casey, Liadh Ni Riada, host Claire Byrne, Joan Freeman and Gavin Duffy THINGS became farcical, to say the least, on the Presidential debate on Monday night.
There were no words of war among the candidates, well the four out of six that bothered to turn up for the event.
Michael D Higgins was nowhere to be seen, yet RTE decided it was perfectly acceptable to get host Claire Byrne to read out a statement on his behalf, refuting claims by candidate Peter Casey he had spent €10,000 on dog grooming.
The presenter insisted it was her job to allow President Higgins to defend the claims, however, the other candidates refuted this and said he should have turned up in person to do it himself. There was uproar from viewers also, and rightly so.
Surely if Mr D Higgins could not be bothered to turn up, he should not have been represented on the show.
That’s the whole point of a debate, to question claims and be there to defend them.
This was a very important debate too as it was the first to be televised so it’s not fair on the others taking part in the presidential race or, in fact, on the Irish voter that two didn’t turn up.
Byrne, at the end of the day, was doing her job reading out the statement but surely RTE should have refrained from allowing it in the first place.
Fellow candidate Joan Freeman also hit back at claims made recently by Mr D Higgins stating he felt he no longer had any privacy anymore due to his position, by saying: “I think he does because he’s not here tonight.”
Sinn Fein candidate Liadh Ni Riada was right when she stated: “I think it’s a real sign of thinking they are above the Irish people. It’s a real sign of contempt I think and disrespects the office.
“People have a right to hear what the candidates have to say and I think this idea that you are above the ordinary people of Ireland, that you are not willing to come and front them and put forward your vision, is completely unacceptable.” Sean Gallagher said he refused to take part unless Mr D Higgins participated as well.
What age is he? A child wouldn’t act this way.
Talk about a baby throwing his toys out of his pram. Does he think he is above everyone else too?
Surely he should have turned up to prove a point – that he was the better candidate for making the effort.
Either way, not turning up has done the two of them no favours, if anything it has probably turned a number of voters against them.
SINN FEIN CANDIDATE
It’s a real sign of thinking they are above the Irish people LIADH Ni RIADA