Ahern and Noonan prepare for live debate
Fianna Fail's Bertie Ahern and Fine Gael's Michael Noonan have said they are looking forward to tonight’s televised debate, the only debate between the two men throughout the entire election campaign.
Mr Ahern said he is not nervous about the showdown, while Mr Noonan admitted being slightly anxious. "I find I’m no good unless I’m nervous," the former Minister said, "because the adrenaline doesn’t flow, so I have that nice sense of anxiety which will sharpen me up going into that debate tonight."
Mr Ahern said: "It’s an opportunity for me once again to set out our policies of peace, prosperity and progress."
Earlier today, Fine Gael’s Richard Bruton said Mr Noonan will use the head-to-head to challenge Mr Ahern on the real issues facing the electorate.
He said: "The Taoiseach is blithely ignoring the real issues and he’s getting away with it."
Mr Bruton added: "He won’t get away with it tonight because, for the first time, he’s out there on his own, he’s not propped up by his PR advisors. This is the first opportunity that the electorate will have to see him in the raw and I don’t think they’ll be convinced by him."
Mr Noonan also accused Mr Ahern of running scared from debates with his opponents.
"TV3 tried to organise a debate among the leaders of all parties very early on in the campaign and Fianna Fail refused that," the Fine Gael leader said.
He continued: "RTE tried to organise two debates. . .again Fianna Fail refused. It was difficult to get Fianna Fail to agree to a debate at all."
