As we all now know, Germany won the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with their song 'Satellite' last weekend. Interest in this year's contest in Ireland was huge due to former winner Niamh Kavanagh taking part once again aiming to score a second victory.

However afterthe disappointing results were announced, Boyzone singer andco-host of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 as too co-writer of the danish Eurovision Song Contest 2009 entry, Ronan Keating, has said that Irish broadcaster RTÉ were set on Niamh Kavanagh only, to represent Ireland this year despite other competitors.

Keating claims that Kavanagh's selection was a foregone conclusion. Despite this claim RTÉ have hit back saying "RTE Television absolutely rejects any suggestion that the selection of Ireland's entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 was anything less than fair, transparent and above board."

"The full selection process from the public competition call to enter on December 10th 2009, through to the Late Late Show Eurosong Special selection process on March 5th, 2010, was independently adjudicated by Price WaterHouse Cooper (PWC)."

RTÉ have since launched an investigation into the selection process and the poor result in Oslo finishing 23rd out of 25 countries in the final and scraping through the second semi final.

Despite all the controversy, the Eurovision Song Contest scored well in the ratings in Ireland with figures for the final almost double on last year. However Ireland had no representative in the final in 2009. Also, numbershad fallenin both semi finals.

• Semi final 1 – 139.000 (In 2009: 208,000)
• Semi final 2 – 397,000 (In 2009: 438,000)
• Grand Final – 719,000 (In 2009: 438,000)

Ireland's Niamh Kavanagh performing 'It's for you' at Eurovision 2010.