Independent presidential candidate Sean Gallagher has declined a request from the Labour Party’s Michael D Higgins for a two-way debate.
An opinion poll published last weekend shows the two candidates are now the front runners in race with Sean Gallagher on 39 percent and Michael D Higgins on 27 percent.
Higgins had suggested an one-on-one debate which could take place on after tonight’s Presidential debate on TG4, the Irish language station.
Well I’m just leaving a conference now on Inclusion Ireland, and I think that would not be very inclusive," Gallagher said in response.
"Why would we exclude five other candidates? I think we’ve been through 12 or 13 presidential debates so far and a few more to go.
"I think that would be unfair on the other five candidates."
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Defending his previous association with Fianna Fail he said : “I wouldn’t like to think that anybody would be demonised for being a grassroots member of any political party, whether that be Sinn Féin, Fine Gael or Labour.”
Responding to criticism about his success as an entrepreneur he defended the fact he earned €212 ($294) euro a week after tax last year.
“Welcome to the real world. This is where everybody is at the moment. Every shopkeeper I meet, every small business is struggling to survive,” he said.
“Survival is the new success. I understand that claim. I’ve been through it.”
“That’s the message for every other business. We’re all struggling. That’s the challenge that all of us need to remain focused on,” he added.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.cillowen | Oct 18, 2011, 01:49 PM EDT
a tale of two zeros - both of the failed ff stripe. Dev's boys.
billie061 | Oct 18, 2011, 01:35 PM EDT
Put up Dustin the Turkey for election, he would do more good.
muirisobric | Oct 18, 2011, 11:17 AM EDT
ó sure, that crowd of sham a rogues on Dame St. R going to change Ireland awe rite. THEY WILL IN THEIR ARSE.......
newnation | Oct 18, 2011, 10:59 AM EDT
hey muirisobric have you thought about doing something about it? happy to press some keys on a keyboard to complain but what are you actually going to do? why dont you come join the people outside dame street so we get some real change happening, change brought by the people not talked about in some sham policital speech!
muirisobric | Oct 18, 2011, 09:33 AM EDT
This whole RUN FOR THE ARAS has to be one of the biggest circuses to hit Europe & the rest of the world in years. Higgins will win because he's the most unlikely to create any kind of a stirr. A stirr is not someting that's welcomed in Irish politics. Geeeze, come on they've run the gamut of accusations of illicit sex, murders' row all kinds of financial shenagins. One up in the poll today, toppled tomorrow. To me they're all up the poll. What a laughing stock we R to the world. Truth is shunned like the plague. The Ali shuffle on all issues is highly in vogue. They must suffer from hip strain. Aye alas the Ireland of Saint & Scholars has descended into the Ireland of liars & chancers. And we're all to blame I suppose.