'No Conditions On Kenny Interview' - Newstalk

The row over the Fine Gael leader's interview on Irish radio has been resolved as broadcaster Newstalk state on record that Mr Kenny had issued no conditions before his interview.

An argument was sparked on Monday morning after Fianna Fail's John Curran claimed that Newstalk presenter Chris Donoghue said the Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny only agreed to be interviewed for their breakfast show on condition he could not be asked any questions about his different pensions.

However, the broadcaster have issued a statement saying their presenter only made reference to his preparation for the interview at the Aviva and stated that he did not ask Enda Kenny questions about his pension.

The statement read: "It has been suggested that the reason why no question was asked on the pension was because preconditions were set by Fine Gael.

"Newstalk wishes to state categorically that no such preconditions were in place. They were not sought and Newstalk considered that the issue of the pension had been dealt with in Enda Kenny’s speech from the podium."

The allegations led to major row over ministerial pensions that engulfed Monday's election discourse, with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael locked in a bitter war of accusations.

Fianna Fail claimed the conditions prior to the interview also included a ban on questions to Mr Kenny related to a "last-minute decision to give up a large payment he was going to claim in April for teaching for four years in the early 1970s."

"This raises the question about exactly how far Fine Gael has been seeking to hide from questions during this campaign," a party spokesman said.

However, Fine Gael – who are favourite to be the majority party in the State after this week's election - 'vehemently denied' the suggestions it tried to censor the interview.

A Fine Gael spokesperson said the pension issue had been dealt with in Mr Kenny's speech, and it was decided and agreed by Newstalk to conduct the interview on the basis preceding the emergence of his pension arrangements.

Mr Kenny said that he clarified the issue of his teacher's pension on Sunday and that the matter was now closed.

The original story emerged in a report in last weekend's Sunday Business Post, which revealed Mr Kenny had deferred a €100,000 lump sum payment from his teachers’ pension until he retires from politics.

Mr Kenny was also due a €30,000 pension from teaching on top of his salary as a TD, but said in his address on Sunday he would not be accepting any pension from the teaching profession.

Meanwhile, the issue prompted Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin to also confirm that he will resign his teaching position at the end of this academic year.

Mr Martin said this morning he will not be going back to teaching, and that he made the decision last year.

"I've been very clear about this and I've said this on public record already - I will not be going back to teaching," Mr Martin said. He added that he will also not be claiming his teacher's pension.

(DW)