TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has declined to take part in a live debate on TV3 two days before the referendum on the Fiscal Compact treaty.

The government has this afternoon confirmed that Kenny will not participate in a live debate with Gerry Adams on 29 May, two days before polling despite the broadcaster offering to replace moderator Vincent Browne with its political editor Ursula Halligan.

This follows Kenny’s comments that he does “not do the Vincent Browne programme”, a stance believed to be related to comments the veteran journalist made about the Fine Gael leader when he said that he should go into a dark room with a gun and a bottle of whiskey.

Browne later apologised for these comments.

A government spokesperson said today there were a “number of conversations ongoing” about the possibility of Kenny appearing on other broadcast debates during the referendum campaign but added that nothing had been finalised at this point.

TV3 said in a statement: “The decision by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny to decline TV3’s offer to participate in a live debate on the European Fiscal Treaty with the Sinn Fein leader, for no stated reason, is regrettable.

‘Bias towards the state broadcaster’

The broadcaster said that it did not expect Kenny to appear in any televised debates during the referendum campaign including with the state broadcaster, RTÉ, because this would indicate bias.

The statement continued: “It is disappointing to note that the only occasions on which the Taoiseach has chosen to appear on TV3 is when he seeks to promote charitable causes.

“Whilst these appearances are important, our viewers are equally entitled to hear the Taoiseach’s views on matters of major national interest, including the forthcoming fiscal treaty referendum.

“TV3 can now only assume that the Taoiseach will not appear in televised debates during the course of the referendum campaign including on RTE television, in order to avoid any inference or suggestion of bias towards the state broadcaster.”

The spokesman for the Taoiseach said he would not “comment on hypothetical situations” when asked about TV3′s comments.

TV3 said that the debate would not now go ahead.