The Green Party today said it is "furious" at what it alleges is the bias being shown against its leader Trevor Sargent by RTÉ.
The party claimed RTÉ's decision not to invite Mr Sargent onto either the Late Late Showor Tubridy Tonight prior to the forthcoming General Election amounted to an unfair "snub".
Green Party Chairman John Gormley
The outburst follows the announcement from Montrose that Labour leader Pat Rabbitte's interview with Ryan Tubridy last weekend would be the last time any party leader would feature on either of the two top-rated shows before the country goes to the polls.
According to the Greens, this means Mr Sargent will be the only party leader not to have been invited for a solo interview on either show during the life of the current Dáil.
"It is clearly unfair and flies in the face of RTÉ's claims to offer unbiased coverage," said Green Party chairman John Gormley.
A spokeswoman for RTE told ireland.comthis evening: "Selection of guests is a matter for individual production teams".
While Mr Sargent appeared on the Late Late Show last year as part of a panel debating nuclear power, Mr Gormley today said he was only referred to as "Trevor" and no reference was made to his surname his leadership of a national political party.
Mr Sargent also made an appearance on the comedy chat show Podge and Rodgelast year which has over 300,00 viewers.
The Greens lost a High Court challenge in 2003 to RTE's refusal to provide live coverage of its annual conference. But this year the national broadcaster will air two hours of the conference in the morning and the leader's speech at 8.30 pm. Both broadcasts will be live.
The station is not obliged to broadcast live coverage of next month's conference becuase the Greens did not achieve the requisite 5 per cent of the vote in the last general election or have seven seats in the Dáil.
Since the last election in 2002, the leaders and senior members of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour have all been interviewed on Tubridy Tonight. Michael McDowell appeared prior to succeeding Mary Harney as Progressive Democrats leader.
Political figures interviewed by Pat Kenny on the Late Late Showinclude Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams and Kerry County Councillor Toireasa Ferris, former taoiseach Albert Reynolds and Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea.
Ms Harney and Mr McDowell were both interviewed in their capacity as leader of the PDs.