Finance Minister Jack Chambers Photo: Collins
Finance Minister Jack Chambers has said the scheduling of the Finance Bill will be changed to allow for an election this year.
A lot of speculation around the date for the next election has centred on the Finance Bill which sees budgetary measures set in law.
The bill is scheduled to be brought to the Dáil on November 5.
Speaking at the turning of the sod of a new inpatient unit at St Francis Hospice in Raheny, Co Dublin, the Finance Minister said changes to the bill’s schedule will be done after the coalition leaders meet tonight, so that “it synchronises with the election date”.
“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 in to the end of November and early December and clearly that isn’t going to happen,” Minister Chambers said.
“I’ll be updating the schedule and the sequencing of the Finance Bill following the discussion of party leaders this evening.
“The main priority for me is to make sure all of the measures we’ve set out in Budget 2025 around supporting workers and the cost of living package and all the other tax measures are progressed properly and we’ll adjust the schedule and sequencing of the finance bill following that.”
Minister Chambers is also the director of elections for Fianna Fáil and said the party will be ambitious and will be targeting a number of additional seats across the country.
“Clearly we want to strengthen our representation. We are ambitious to gain seats and not stand still. We have a strong record of delivery in government and taking on the challenges of the last four and a half years and we’ll be setting out a really positive and ambitious agenda about moving Ireland forward over the next number of years and that’ll be a core part of our manifesto,” the minister said.
Taoiseach Simon Harris confirmed in recent days that an election will take place this side of Christmas.
The Taoiseach is set to meet with coalition leaders this evening, however Mr Harris said he will not name the date at this meeting.
Instead, leaders will discuss what legislation needs to be passed before the Dáil is dissolved.
