By Elaine Loughlin Political Reporter
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he was not aware of an invitation to appear on RTÉ News last night, and denied he has been in hiding.
Speaking on the campaign trail in Mullingar, Mr Kenny said: “I didn’t know I was invited to it, obviously I haven’t access to all of the diaries here, I have a lot of interviews to do over the next period and I will participate in the debates that take place, why wouldn’t I".
He said he was "sorry RTÉ were upset" about his non-appearance.
"You will see enough of me, maybe too much over the next couple of weeks, believe me," he said.
“And I would be very happy to participate, we have a great story to tell here, unlike those came before us, who wrecked our economy with 300,000 jobs lost, you have mortgage distress in hundreds of thousands of cases, thousands of our young people left, couldn’t go near the opportunity to borrow on the international markets, unemployment at 15.2%, our deficit at €18billion and then they have the gall to come along and say we have great plans, yet they opposed every growth and policy position over the past five years.
“So I would be very happy, believe me, to go along and explain that to both potential suitors in what they are trying to do here with and alternative government," Mr Kenny added.