Five key moments from the party leaders’ debate
The leaders of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin were in RTÉ on Tuesday night where they took part in the final TV debate of the general election campaign. Jennifer Bray outlines the five key moments, the first being:
The Kanturk Incident: The Kanturk campaign trail exchange between Fine Gael leader Simon Harris and carer Charlotte Fallon was always going to come up. At the very start of the debate, Harris was asked about reports which emerged on Tuesday that Fine Gael staff members were in contact with RTÉ about the now-viral clip before it aired.
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Leader's debate: what did we learn and who won?
Listen | 28:09
News in Ireland
- Grave exhumed in search for Joe Lynskey: A grave in Co Monaghan has been exhumed by experts searching for a Disappeared victim of the Northern Ireland Troubles Joe Lynskey.
- Man arrested after fatal ‘hit-and-run’ in Limerick: A man has been arrested after a fatal “hit-and-run” incident in which a pedestrian was killed on the Ennis Road in Limerick just before 2pm on Tuesday.
- Academic claims DCU ‘kept her in the dark’ about permanent job while she was on maternity leave: An academic has claimed Dublin City University (DCU) broke its own jobs policy and discriminated against her by keeping her “in the dark” about a permanent job that was advertised while she was on maternity leave.
- Irish national confirmed as a survivor of boat sinking: An Irish citizen who was on board a tourist boat that sank in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt has been rescued.
- Finglas murder victim Josh Fowler (63) ‘not intended target’ of attack: A man murdered in north Dublin is believed to have been targeted by a group of men in a dispute over a drugs debt.
- Weather forecast: Frost and fog will lead to tricky travelling conditions in some areas this morning, especially in the Midlands. A cold and frosty start will lead to a mostly dry day with spells of sunshine. Highs of just 3 to 7 degrees. Tonight will be cold againwith widespread frost and some icy patches. Lowest temperatures of -3 to zero degrees.
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Relationships
- ‘My wife, who I love and adore, has emotionally abandoned our relationship’: “I am a 50ish-year-old man with a problem to solve – my wife, who I love and adore, has emotionally abandoned our relationship. Every time I suggest we do something together I get told that my wife is too busy or tired. Any effort at affection is rebuffed in a jokey way, but it is clear that other than talking about our kids and her work she has no real interest in talking to me.”
Business
- Just 10% of consumers planning to spend more this Christmas: Only one-in-10 Irish consumers plan to spend more this Christmas than a year ago, according to the latest Credit Union consumer sentiment survey.
Sports
- Joe Schmidt’s detail will be devilishly difficult to counter but Ireland can still win: Joe Schmidt’s return to Dublin will guarantee a laser focus during this week’s Ireland training at the high-performance centre in Abbotstown.
World
- Displaced people return to south Lebanon as Israel-Hizbullah ceasefire appears to hold: Long-displaced residents of south Lebanon started returning to their homes amid celebrations hours after a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and the Hizbullah militant group took effect this morning.
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