TV3 may have had the political heavy weights going head to head last week, but last night was an opportunity for the smaller parties to get their political promises across to the nation as they joined what was a seven-way debate on RTE1.
Enda Kenny (Fine Gael), Joan Burton (Labour), Micheal Martin (Fianna Fail), Gerry Adams (Sinn Fein), Richard Boyd Barrett (Anti-Austerity Alliance - People Before Profit), Lucinda Creighton (Renua) and Stephen Donnelly (Social Democrats) all discussed some of the key (and not so key) issues of the upcoming General Election - which made for a hell of a lot of talking heads but Claire Byrne was well able to manage them, along with the 300 or so others that filled out the room at the University of Limerick.
Over 1 million of you tuned in to the debate with an average of 586,000 viewers watching the full two hours. As usual though, while this is the future of our county and there are some very serious issues indeed, there is always craic to be had on Twitter...
When is the first one getting voted off? #leadersdebate
— Colm Tobin (@colmtobin) February 15, 2016
If Stephen Donnelly wants to talk directly to the Guards and the Nurses he should head to Copper Face Jacks after the debate.#leadersdebate
— Dustin The Turkey (@DustinOfficial) February 15, 2016
Boyd Barrett - starts off a point soft, ends loud. Clearly a Pixies fan. #leadersdebate
— Richie McCormåck (@RichieMcCormack) February 15, 2016
Smooth! #leadersdebate pic.twitter.com/SNhePFyJUo
— Ray Foley (@rayfoleyshow) February 15, 2016
@EndaKennyTD 's concern for @MichealMartinTD dropped piece of paper - hilarious. A friendly gesture? #leadersdebate pic.twitter.com/yZMv7RAMae
— Zara King (@ZaraKing_UTV) February 15, 2016
BRB. Explaining to an American that the dramatic high point of our #leadersdebate was a bloke dropping a piece of paper.
— Paul Duane (@MrPaulDuane) February 16, 2016
Advertised
Stephen donnelly reading the polls in the paper tomorrow #leadersdebate pic.twitter.com/9YrMX6UgDH
— Colm Burke (@collyburke) February 15, 2016
Update: the paper is still on the floor. Finna Fail unwilling to clean up past mess. Again. #leadersdebate pic.twitter.com/EGqxDmQLkR
— Jim (@Jimpetuous) February 15, 2016
Is anyone else wishing Claire Byrne was the next Taoiseach? #leadersdebate pic.twitter.com/cdfeKGjBa2
— Ed Smith (@edsongsofpraise) February 15, 2016
At the end of the #leadersdebate there will be a raffle for a hamper of Limerick ham
All proceeds go to the "Jacket for Richard" appeal
— Will Leahy (@willleahy) February 15, 2016
There's a bang of "we're saving face by staying together until the kids go off to college" off Enda and Joan. #leadersdebate
— Colm Tobin (@colmtobin) February 15, 2016
Mostly they're nill-all draw dronefests but if anyone thinks debates don't matter, three words: President. Sean. Gallagher. #leadersdebate
— Donal O'Keeffe (@Donal_OKeeffe) February 16, 2016
And the paper again...
Advertised
Highlight of the debate!
Posted by Luke Hickey on Monday, 15 February 2016
