Green Party fails in High Court bid to be included in RTE debate
The Green Party has lost its High Court bid to be included in tonight's 'GE16 leaders' debate at 9.35pm on RTÉ.
The RTE debate at the University of Limerick features seven party leaders from Fine Gael, Labour, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Fein, People Before Profit, the Social Democrats and Renua.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan was not asked to participate because his party did not have at least three TDs in the outgoing Dáil.
The Green Party failed to get anyone elected in 2011, and is fielding candidates in every county in this election.
In a two-day hearing at the High Court, the party argued that the RTÉ requirement to have at least three TDs was unfair, unlawful and an interference with democracy.
RTÉ denied the claims and said the leaders' debate was just one of many programmes covering the General Election.
Seven political leaders are taking part in tonight's debate. They are Enda kenny (FG), Micheál martin (FF), Joan Burton (Labour), Gerry Adams (SF), Stephen Donnelly (representing the Social Democrats as co-leader), Lucinda Creighton (Renua) and Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP/AAA).
