Election campaign is still stuck on starting blocks

World of Politics with Harry McGee

For some reason the election campaign has not ignited so far.  We are a week away from polling and it’s all a bit like the Prom in November – not much happening; only a few prepared to dip their toes in the water.

Both debates have been interesting in their own ways – but neither set this general election alight. Perhaps that will come with the final four-way debate on Tuesday on RTE. Then again, given the experience of the other two debates I doubt it.

How influential are these televised events? Leaders’ debates live on television are strange animals. It’s good to win but the priority is not to lose. If you make one big gaffe, or get caught out on detail, or flunk on specifics (especially on the economy) the outcome can be catastrophic.

So in a strange way, winning in these debates can sometimes be as simple as surviving.

Enda Kenny lost the 2007 head-to-head with Bertie Ahern in the last half hour of a 90-minute encounter. It came when he stumbled over questions on the economy allowing Ahern in to best him.

Equally Sean Gallagher’s presidential campaign came to a halt in 2011 when he was back-footed badly on a live TV debate.

Ahern won but a little bit by default; in reality this was that Kenny lost.

Yet, during the British general election last year, the leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party Nicola Sturgeon emerged as a real star after a virtuoso performance on a crowded platform.

The first two debates were big contrasts in style. The first four-hander on TV3 ended up being interesting but very messy, as the leaders constantly interrupted and talked over each other.

Claire Byrne allowed no such leeway on Monday this week, firmly controlling proceedings from the start and asking robust questions of all the leaders.

I felt that she was not being as assertive with the three leaders from the smaller parties with her line of questioning. But she more than made up for it in the second half when she hit Stephen Donnelly with a haymaker with the gibe he used “management consultant speak” and all his solutions seemed to be about “talking with people”. Richard Boyd Barrett also got a bit of a going over on the question of the fairness of mortgage forgiveness.

Lucinda Creighton was also confident and composed but surprisingly did not attack her opponents as much as the others. She focused almost wholly on setting out Renua’s positions and policies. It was a straight – and effective – pitch at her base although she could have engaged more.

As with TV3 Micheál Martin was possibly marginally the strongest, not least for his combative dogged style and his command of detail.

Enda Kenny again never raised his voice, although he did launch a few attacks on Fianna Fail. Generally he held his own and made no mistakes.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.