Coalition leaders come to agreement after meeting last night with November 22, November 29 and December 6 now likely dates to go to the polls
The three coalition party leaders agreed to hold an election this year, following a lengthy meeting last night.
Mr Harris, Mr Martin and Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman came to the agreement at their weekly leaders’ meeting in Government Buildings.
The Taoiseach indicated that his preferred day for the election is a Friday, with November 22, 29 or December 6 now potential dates.
Speaking on his way into cabinet this morning, the Taoiseach said: “I have a fair idea when the election is going to be, in fact I have a very good idea. But obviously the Finance Bill does need to be passed and I don’t take for granted the work of the Oireachtas – that is not entirely within our control.”
Mr Harris said while there was a lot of work still to do, there will be an election “very shortly”.
“The Finance Bill deserves proper scrutiny and work and that needs to happen as well. So, let’s get the Finance Bill sorted, get some supplementary estimates for some government departments sorted, that’s important. Let’s get on with a really busy cabinet agenda today,” he said.
“Then very shortly we’ll have a general election and it’s highly likely it will be on a Friday.”
While the Tánaiste said the passing of the Finance Bill will determine the date for the election, he believed it would be either November 29 or December 6, but that he did not have a preference.
“The Finance Bill will be coming in on November 5, the passage of that bill will determine a lot. I think it could either be November 29 or it could be December 6,” said Mr Martin.
He added that while he would have liked to have seen the Mental Health Bill passed during this Dáil term, there is still work to be done on it.
“The Mental Health Bill I would have wished to [see passed], but I think there are significant amendments to come on that and might not be ready for February. So there are issues on some aspects that I understand,” added the Tánaiste.
He said he would speak to Minister of State Mary Butler in relation to progressing the bill and said he would like to see the Defamation Bill move to committee stage if possible during this Dáil term. However, he said there were some challenges with that bill too.
Mr Harris did not indicate the exact date but the meeting heard the Finance Bill, which gives effect to Budget tax cuts, could be passed through the Houses of the Oireachtas by Thursday, November 7, which would clear the path for the Taoiseach to name the election date.
In a statement, a government spokesperson said: “The three party leaders have agreed the general election will take place in 2024.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman
“They have agreed that the passage of the Finance Bill is the priority for the Government. The committee stage of the bill will commence on November 5.”
Earlier, Finance Minister Jack Chambers said the scheduling of the Finance Bill would be changed to allow for an election this year.
“I expect the sequence of the Finance Bill to be adjusted when the party leaders have decided an election date, because if it was to go on its current schedule, it would go into the end of November and early December and clearly that isn’t going to happen,” Mr Chambers said yesterday.
Mr Chambers is also the director of elections for Fianna Fáil. He said the party will be ambitious and plans to target a number of additional seats across the country.
People are absolutely entitled to give their opinion, and most importantly coalition leaders are absolutely entitled to their opinion and their view
“Clearly we want to strengthen our representation. We are ambitious to gain seats and not stand still,” he said. “We have a strong record of delivery in government and taking on the challenges of the last four-and-a-half years.
Taoiseach: General election date ‘is a matter for me’
“We’ll be setting out a really positive and ambitious agenda about moving Ireland forward over the next number of years, and that will be a core part of our manifesto.”
The Taoiseach previously said he did not feel under pressure to hold a general election on November 29, after it was mooted by Mr O’Gorman last week.
Mr Harris rejected assertions that Mr O’Gorman “went behind his back” by putting forward a suggested election date, with the Fine Gael leader repeating his comments from the weekend that there will be a general election this year.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin
Asked about Mr O’Gorman’s comments on Friday, Mr Harris said: “It was certainly very upfront and I have no difficulty with that.
“People are absolutely entitled to give their opinion and, most importantly, coalition leaders are absolutely entitled to their opinion and their view.
“There’s no great mystery in relation to this. Let me try to be helpful… I mean, there’s going to be a general election this year, and the Government is going to conclude its work. It’s going to do that in an orderly manner.”
“I do agree with Minister O’Gorman on the need to actually provide a sense of clarity on this. There’s no issue with that at all.
“The specific date, without being in any way prickly about it, is obviously a matter for me under the Constitution, and I take that seriously.”
I have to keep some small element of surprise for you in the days ahead
Asked if he feels under pressure to hold the election on November 29, Mr Harris said: “Pressure is for tyres, there’s lots of pressure in politics. I certainly didn’t feel that at all. I think I’ve been quite clear in my public commentary for many weeks now, as have others, in relation to finishing the work that is under way, that’s important.
“I’m not going to get into the speculation of the day of the election, because obviously you will all start narrowing it down even further and I have to keep some small element of surprise for you in the days ahead.”
Mr Harris said his party will contest the election as a standalone political party, and will not have a transfer pact among the coalition parties.
Mr O’Gorman said that he believed that an election date of November 29 allows the Government to push through “important pieces of legislation” like the Finance Bill, hate-crime legislation and maternity protection leave.
