As part of RTÉ's extensive coverage in the run up to the European Parliament Elections on Friday 7 June, RTÉ’s Prime Time will hold a major TV debate this Thursday night 30 May on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player beginning at 9:35pm.

The live programme  will focus on the Ireland South constituency with presenters Miriam O’Callaghan and Fran McNulty at the helm.

With over twenty candidates in each constituency and more than seventy across the three European constituencies, when inviting candidates to participate RTÉ set impartial and objective criteria across all three debates to ensure they are as informative and coherent as possible to best serve the audience.  The criteria will see a maximum of eight candidates in each of the television debates.

This Thursday night's RTÉ One programme will see the following candidates join presenters live in studio:

• Lorna Bogue - Rabharta 
• Paul Gavan - Sinn Féin 
• Niamh Hourigan – Labour Party 
• Billy Kelleher - Fianna Fáil 
• Michael McNamara - Independent 
• John Mullins - Fine Gael 
• Grace O’Sullivan - Green Party 
• Mick Wallace – Independents 4 Change

Ahead of the TV debate, presenter Miriam O’Callaghan said "The European Elections really matter, and these debates always give the opportunity to question the candidates on all the big issues so that voters have a clearer idea on their positions and on their plans should the candidates be elected. I'm looking forward to them."

Speaking about the debate presenter Fran McNulty said "The debate is an opportunity for voters to see the candidates, hear what they have to say and decide who they feel will represent them best. We will explore a range of issues with each of the participants and importantly question them in a way any inquisitive voter would. It's exciting to host the debate and I really hope it's informative and engaging, not just for people in Ireland south, but for all our Prime Time viewers." 

This Thursday night is the second of three major live television debates RTÉ will host on the European Elections across three consecutive weeks in the lead up to polling day. The final of RTÉ's major TV debate of the campaign will see candidates in the Dublin constituency feature on a  Prime Time Election Debate on Tuesday 4th June.

RTÉ's extensive digital elections campaign coverage will include constituency profiles, explainer videos, articles and live blogs of key events across the RTÉ News app, RTÉ.ie and RTÉ’s social media channels.

Watch Prime Time Thursday May 30, at 9:35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player and read the digital report at RTÉ.ie/Primetime.

Follow @RTE_PrimeTime on X / Twitter for regular content, #rtept