The live TV leadership debates in Britain have captured the public imagination, catapulted Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg into the spotlight, and are influencing the course of the general election.
The debates on ITV and Sky, with one on the BBC to follow, with British PM Gordon Brown, Tory leader David Cameron, and Mr Clegg, have had such an effect on the election campaign, it is reasonable to assume it is probably here to stay as a part of future British general elections.
This is the first time Britain has held such TV debates, unlike Iin reland where they have been a long tradition.
However the British debates have exposed the flaw in the Irish one. The Irish debate is held the day before polling, when people have already made up their minds (remember 2002? Michael Noonan beat Bertie, but Fine Gael were massacred at the polls ) and so do nothing to inspire voters or challenge politicians (look at how the Cameron and Brown now view and react to Clegg after his impressive performance in the first debate ).
A series of debates throughout the campaign, and not just before polling day must be adopted in Ireland. If you want to excite the public and get them out voting here is a way to do it.
Also, the debates are restricted to the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael leaders. The British debates shows us that Labour must be included, especially as the party is a growing force and ahead of Fianna Fáil in the polls. Though FF (and FG ) will not admit it, we are no longer in the ‘two-and-a-half party system’ - it’s three parties now, and like the Lib Dems, Labour could make or break the next Government.
Why just stop at a national level? Why not have Galway debates as well? As part of the election drive there should be local debates, perhaps FF, FG, and Labour one night, smaller parties and Independents another?
It would be interesting to see the county and city councillors exposed in this way. They would not have the waffle, hot air, grand standing, and embarrassingly arcane proceduralism of the council chamber to hide behind, and I’m sure many of them would relish it!
Imagine, Michael J Crowe v Pádraig Conneely, Derek Nolan v Brian Walsh, Jim Cuddy v Seosamh Ó Cuaig, Catherine Connolly v everyone! Bring it on!
