LAST UPDATE | 8 Nov

WELL, IT’S ALMOST official. With the election now confirmed to take place on Friday 29 November, the politicians are out the traps and ready to do all they can to win your vote. 

A big part of any election campaign is always the leaders’ debates hosted by the TV broadcasters. 

Usually, RTÉ and Virgin Media each hold two debates. One with the leaders of the three largest parties and a larger debate including other party leaders. 

This time around though, in what is largely viewed to be an act of protest by Virgin Media over what it deems to be the government’s failure to support its public service broadcasting, there will be no debates hosted by the Ballymount broadcaster.

RTÉ has not yet officially announced all of its election coverage, but we understand that the public broadcaster has the usual two debates planned. 

Housing will be a major theme in the election, and on Monday, RTÉ One will host an extended programme of Upfront with Katie Hannon on Housing.

Fianna Fáil’s Darragh O’Brien, Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe, Sinn Féin’s Eoin O’Brien will feature, as will People Before Profit’s Richard Boyd Barrett, Labour leader Ivana Bacik and the Social Democrats’ Rory Hearne.

The panellists will also answer questions from the audience and the programme will air this coming Monday at 9.35pm on RTÉ One. 

RTÉ is then set to hold another debate on PrimeTime, hosted by Miriam O’Callaghan and Sarah McInerney on Tuesday 26 November with just the leaders of the three largest political parties: Simon Harris, Micheál Martin and Mary Lou McDonald. 

It’s understood that throughout the three-week campaign party leaders will also be interviewed across other programmes including the RTÉ Six One News, RTÉ Radio 1′s Claire Byrne show and Morning Ireland.

Virgin Media 

In the place of leaders’ debates, Virgin Media is hosting individual one-hour interviews for the three main party leaders, beginning with Simon Harris on Wednesday 13 November. 

Mary Lou McDonald’s will be aired on Wednesday 20 November and Micheál Martin’s the following week on Wednesday 27 November. 

In the interviewing chair for these will be long-time Virgin Media broadcaster Colette Fitzpatrick.

TG4

TG4 has commissioned four individual constituency polls by leading market research company Ipsos B&A ahead of the general election.

The polls will focus on the five-seat constituencies of Galway West, Donegal, Mayo, and Kerry.

The results of the polls will be revealed on Nuacht TG4 beginning with Galway West on Thursday November 14th.

The Donegal constituency poll will broadcast on Tuesday 19th November, Mayo on Thursday 21st November and Kerry on Tuesday 26th November.

Eimear Ní Chonaola and Siún Nic Gearailt will analyse the results with panelists and experts for each constituency.