The Social Democrats have chosen Stephen Donnelly as their leader “for one night only” for the purposes of a televised pre-election debate.

RTÉ has proposed two TV debates. One, presented by Miriam O’Callaghan, is a four-way debate with Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin, Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams and Tánaiste Joan Burton for the Labour Party.

The other, presented by Claire Byrne, is a seven-person debate that the broadcaster decided should include the leader of Renua Ireland, Lucinda Creighton, as well as representatives of the Social Democrats and Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit (AAA-PBP).

The Social Democrats and AAA-PBP have no leader and therefore have to select one “for one night only”.

The three prominent former Independent TDs who came together to form the Social Democrats in July - Catherine Murphy, Mr Donnelly and Roisin Shortall - have - discussed the matter over recent weeks.

A Social Democrats spokeswoman confirmed on Wednesday Mr Donnelly will represent the party in the seven-person TV debate scheduled to take place in the University of Limerick.

She said Ms Murphy would be on the RTÉ This Week radio show during the campaign and Ms Shortall had been selected for the Sean O’Rourke leaders’ interview on the Today radio programme.