‘Bullish’ Michael Noonan turns tail and runs from TV Budget showdown with Pearse Doherty

FINANCE MINISTER Michael Noonan has pulled out of a live TV Budget head-to-head debate with Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty.

Sources told An Phoblacht that Fianna Fáil felt they should be the ones to have the Opposition slot. Their credentials, though, have been totally compromised by their collaboration with the Fine Gael Budget. The credibility of RTÉ’s Prime Time Budget Special would have been jeopardised by broadcasting a live love-in instead of a much-anticipated showdown between two tough-talking protagonists.

Mícheál Martin’s nominally Opposition party didn’t even bother to offer the public a properly drafted and costed alternative – unlike Sinn Féin.

But Michael Noonan still told RTÉ that he would only face Fianna Fáil’s Michael McGrath.

After Pearse Doherty’s Dáil speech roasted the Fine Gael Budget and the timidity of the Independents and Fianna Fáil TDs who rowed in behind Enda Kenny’s plan, RTÉ confirmed to Sinn Féin just hours before the scheduled showdown that the normally bullish Michael Noonan was running away from facing Sinn Féin scrutiny on live TV.