LAST UPDATE | 3 hrs ago
PRESIDENT MICHAEL D Higgins has agreed to dissolve the 33rd Dáil, kicking off the general election.
The dissolution of the parliament triggers the start of a short three-week election campaign ahead of polling day on 29 November.
After a speech on the steps of Government Buildings this afternoon, the Taoiseach headed over to Áras an Úachtaráin.
TDs rose and the 33rd Dáil was suspended for the final time yesterday evening, marking the end of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party’s four-year coalition.
Here’s how the day played out.
Reporting was by Rónán Duffy, Lauren Boland, and Diarmuid Pepper
Well, good morning!
Rónán Duffy here for what promises to be a busy day of formalities and photocalls as Taoiseach Simon Harris heads to the Áras to finally call time on the 33rd Dáil.
We don’t know exactly what time Harris will meet President Higgins but we are expecting him to make a speech at Government Buildings before hot footing it across the city to Phoenix Park.
Speaking this morning, Harris said:
“I intend to approach this campaign with determination, with humility, with a real hope that it doesn’t descend into tit for tat.
“It needs to really look at the issues that matter to Irish people; whether that is housing – not just who can shout the biggest number they are going to build – but credibly how can they fund them, how they can deliver them, how they can afford them, what supports are in place.”
While Harris’ movements are going to be closely watched today, there’s plenty of pre-election photocalls and press launches happening today.
Fianna Fáil, Labour, People Before Profit and Sinn Féin are all out today. We have reporters criss-crossing Dublin city to keep tabs on them.
PBP’s Paul Murphy meanwhile has his party’s banner straddling the city.
Our message is clear pic.twitter.com/x2mNaFTugs
— Paul Murphy 🏳️⚧️ (@paulmurphy_TD) November 8, 2024
The latest on Taoiseach Simon Harris by the way is that he’s currently on board a private flight from Budapest to Dublin that is currently over the Irish Sea and should therefore be landing in the next 30 minutes or so.
Election posters are already springing up around the country ahead of the expected formal launch of the campaign today.
Posters are permitted to be put up on the day the writ is moved by the Minister for Housing and Local Government, so erecting them after midnight is allowed as long as the minister signs the order at some point today.
If the minister doesn’t sign the writ today though, they’ve put the posters up early. It’s slightly uncharted waters though because we’ve rarely had an election that was so signposted, pardon the pun.
We promised you we’d have reporters running about the place today and here’s the proof.
Our Political Correspondent Jane Matthews is near her usual territory around Leinster House where Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is out with some of his party’s candidates.
And so it begins… Micheál Martin rules out coalition with Sinn Féin as GE2024 gets underway.
— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) November 8, 2024
“They don’t get the economic model”.
He adds that housing will be a core pillar of Fianna Fáil’s campaign, claiming they have been the “agent of change” in housing. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/TahYP7TtuH
Martin sat down with our Political Editor Christina Finn yesterday to outline some of his party’s promises ahead of the election.
An Tánaiste said that Fianna Fáil will “at a minimum” double the Rent Tax Credit, expand the First Home Scheme, and look at increasing the Help-to-Buy grant to get money into the hands of people who are renting or buying homes.
When asked about the Help-to-Buy grant, which offers a tax rebate of up to €30,000 to people looking to buy new builds, Martin said “it may have to be increased”.
“We can look at that, but I think it’s quite generous as it is,” he said, adding the next government can look at the scheme on an ongoing basis.
Meanwhile, Labour is launching what it’s calling its “radical” housing policy.
The plan includes a proposal for a State construction company but the party acknowledges that it needs to train more tradespeople to implement it.
Labour also wants to phase out the government Help To Buy scheme by 2029. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael want to keep the scheme but the opposition claim it merely adds more money to the market and inflates prices.
Labour Party is out the traps with its housing policy announcement, promising a ‘radical, strategic reset’ of current action. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/mav1mVlQKf
— Muiris Ó Cearbhaill (@muirisoc) November 8, 2024
A jet flying from Budapest has just landed at Baldonnel, the military airbase in south-west Dublin. Taoiseach Simon Harris is believed to be on board.
Once he’s on the road, it’ll take him about 15 minutes to get to Government Buildings with his garda escort, and we’ll expect to see him talk to the media shortly after that before he heads off to the Áras.
There’s always controversy about the formation of debates during election season. Remember 2020 when RTÉ initially left Sinn Féin out of a leaders’ debate they scheduled with Fianna Fáil and Fine gael before being forced into a u-turn?
What we know so far is that while RTÉ has not yet officially announced all of its election coverage, we understand that the public broadcaster has the usual two debates planned.
It’s understood that kicking things off will be a ten-way leaders debate on Monday 18 November under the Upfront with Katie Hannon banner.
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.
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.
Some election briefs here.
Fianna Fail has added Austin Stack to the party’s ticket in the Laois constituency.
Stack is a former prison officer and is best known as the son of Portlaoise Chief Prison Officer Brian Stack, was shot by the Provisional IRA in 1983 and died in hospital in 1984.
Stack will be running alongside Fianna Fail’s Seán Fleming in the constituency, which is now a three-seater and has become particularly interesting since Brian Stanley TD announced he would be running as an independent after leaving Sinn Féin.
Also, in Dublin Bay North, a campaign group for the victims of the Stardust nightclub fire has recognised the “real pain” caused by survivor Antoinette Keegan’s announcement that she would run as a candidate for the far-right National Party, a decision she has since reversed.
Keegan withdrew as an election candidate for the National Party yesterday, just days after announcing she would run, admitting it was “an error in judgement”.
She apologised to members of the public and said her principles did not align with the National Party.
Some pictures from the first few hours of campaigning.
Media are waiting for the Taoiseach to speak.
Our Politics Editor Christina Finn is at Leinster House.
Our reporter Muiris Ó Cearbhaill has the latest from Labour’s first election event.
The Labour Party published it’s housing policy this morning in the first election event of this campaign, promising to build 250,000 homes over five years, established a State construction company and introduce a number of new measures for renters.
The party would also prop up new residential projects with public funds, so developers can build homes and establish a state construction company to end the “boom-and-bust” cycle.
Leader and party spokesperson for housing Ivana Bacik said the public building firm would boost the housing supply and, in turn, decrease prices.
She added that it would also incentivise tradespeople to leave the commercial sector and begin helping to build homes and claimed that it will be enough to persuade Irish builders abroad to come home.
Labour believe that it is “feasible”, according to its leader, to increase housing supply and the number of tradespeople so that house prices will have fallen enough by 2026, when the party plans to phase out the First Home Scheme.
Bacik also proposed that Labour would phase out the Help to Buy scheme by the end of its term and replace it with a fairer, more targeted plan. It would also establish a Rent to Buy scheme, using the cost rental sector.
The party intend to revamp the Residential Tenancies Board role so it can establish a Rent Register Index for prospective tenants to compare and contrast the prices of previous dwellers.
The no-fault eviction ban would be reinstated under a Labour government, local councillor Darragh Moriarty said, and a rent freeze would be introduced for a minimum of three years.
Labour would also ban all no-fault evictions, unless a landlord is seeking to rent to personal family – not extended – or if the home is determined an unsafe dwelling.
Asked if these measures would make the housing market less attractive for landlord and institutional investors, Labour TD Duncan Smith said he didn’t believe so.
“We’re making the market more safe on one factor, this boom of bus cycle needs to end,” he said, adding that the state construction company would be “transformational, if done properly”.
Smith said the construction company would”stabilise the market. “Any market that stable is good for investors,” he added.
Happening now: Simon Harris is walking down the stairs of Leinster House to the plinth.
The Taoiseach has officially confirmed that he will travel to Áras an Uachtaráin this afternoon to ask President Michael D. Higgins to dissolve the Dáil to allow an election to be held on the 29 November.
“I believe that this government has made real progress for our country,” Harris said, thanking members of the three coalition parties – his own Fine Gael as well as Fianna Fáil and the Green Party.
“We did not agree on every issue but we did always work hard and together for the good of the Irish people.”
Alluding to recent verbal attacks on politicians, Harris said that “this election must be a safe and respectful campaign for all politicians and all of their teams”, adding that he wishes all candidates luck.
While he was speaking outside Government Buildings, Harris made a brief appeal for support from voters as he summarised what he sees as the successes of the Fine Gael – Fianna Fáil – Green coalition.
He said the coalition delivered progressive budgets that brought the country through the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the cost of living crisis and that it is “delivering new homes across our country”.
Opposition parties will no doubt have plenty to say about how they feel the government has fared on those issues.
The Taoiseach’s car is now pulling up outside the Áras – quick progress from Merrion Square to the Phoenix Park.
As the Taoiseach and President Michael D. Higgins hold a meeting in the Áras, here’s a clip of Harris’s speech:
"The time is now right to ask the Irish people to give a new mandate"
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) November 8, 2024
The Taoiseach has officially confirmed that he will travel to Áras an Uachtaráin this afternoon to ask President Higgins to dissolve the Dáil to allow an election to be held on the 29 November #GE2024 pic.twitter.com/70u7BjeNZE
And the second half of his short speech:
"If you give me your trust, I will give you my all"
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) November 8, 2024
Taoiseach Simon Harris appeals to voters before heading to Áras an Uachtaráin #GE2024 pic.twitter.com/spq1wXCblz
Dissolving the Dáíl: The Taoiseach and President have emerged from their meeting and are signing the necessary papers to formally dissolve the Dáil.
In pictures: Taoiseach Simon Harris speaking outside Government Buildings and arriving at Áras an Uachtaráin ahead of his meeting with President Michael D Higgins, which saw the President agree to dissolve the Dáil.
Our reporter Muiris Ó Cearbhaill is outside Government Buildings now, where Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald is expected to make remarks shortly.
The media gathering outside Government buildings waiting for Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/nZBkwUHxR4
— Muiris Ó Cearbhaill (@muirisoc) November 8, 2024
Tánaiste Micheál Martin, the leader of Fianna Fáil, has kicked off his party’s campaign with a statement this afternoon.
“This is an election about Ireland’s future. It’s about how we can protect our many strengths and overcome deep challenges,” he said, promising that the Fianna Fáil campaign will put “policy before politics” and “substance before soundbite”.
“We will offer new policies on tackling high prices, on helping people to buy or rent a home, on expanding health services, supporting education, tackling crime, and on many other areas and we will lay out plans for leading Ireland through any new international turmoil which may arise,” Martin said.
“It will be a short three-week campaign, but the issues at stake could not be more serious.
We’ll campaign in every constituency and every community. Fianna Fáil will be focused on our positive message of policies which can both protect progress and move Ireland forward for the benefit of all of its people.”
Some more images of President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Simon Harris officially dissolving the Dáil ahead of the general election.
With the election looming, various parties have already been setting out their stalls.
Labour’s Director of Elections Brendan Howlin today said the party’s candidates “have been preparing for this election for some months now”.
“Too many people feel utterly left behind by this Government,” said Howlin.
“The two main parties of this Government have governed together since 2016 yet they have squandered the last 8 years of prosperity.”
He added that Labour “will be offering a clear alternative to the public over the next three weeks. We’re fighting this election to build a better Ireland, to build better together”.
“We’ll contest this election on a positive platform – on the issues that matter to people – housing, climate, children’s rights,” said Howlin.
“Our dedicated candidates are fired up and ready to hit the ground running.”
Another view available of the short speech Simon Harris made ahead of his meeting with President Michael D Higgins, which saw the President agree to dissolve the Dáil.
The next Dáil will be the largest in the history of the State.
That’s because Ireland is getting an additional 14 TDs, bringing the total figure to 174, following a review of Dáil and European Parliament constituency boundaries.
The report last year also led to the creation of four new constituencies, increasing from 39 to 43.
There must be an average of one TD to represent every 20,000 to 30,000 people in the country, according to the Constitution.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has been speaking to media with her party front benchers.
SF Leader Mary Lou McDonald, speaking to media with her party front benchers, says: “On November the 29th were asking the public to change the government and vote Sinn Féin.” @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/zGD13yUTCL
— Muiris Ó Cearbhaill (@muirisoc) November 8, 2024
A message from the office of President Michael D Higgins in the past few minutes has outlined the process of dissolving the Dáil ahead of the election.
“An Taoiseach, Simon Harris TD, visited Áras an Uachtaráin today requesting in accordance with Article 13 of the Constitution, that President Michael D. Higgins dissolve the 33rdDáil and summon the new Dáil.”
The statement noted that the “proclamation for dissolution” was signed shortly after 2pm.
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.
The programme will air this coming Monday at 9.35pm on RTÉ One.
ActionAid Ireland has said the general election offers an opportunity to “push for change in four vital areas”.
It has urged candidates to “support women’s rights, work for climate change action including an end to fossil fuels, ensure Ireland plays its part to end the war in Palestine and influence more human rights focused policies on migration, including an end to Direct Provision”.
ActionAid Ireland CEO Karol Balfe said while “housing, health and other domestic issues will dominate the campaign, people should not lose sight of the importance of supporting the huge global issues that are impacting on millions of vulnerable people across the world”.
“If Sinn Féin wins, you win.”
Mary Lou McDonald said there is a “real chance to change the government and to return a government led by Sinn Féin”.
She adds that a Sinn Féin government would “move heaven and Earth to make housing affordable”.
"If Sinn Féin wins, you win"
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) November 8, 2024
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald appeals to the public to vote for her party in the general election #GE2024 pic.twitter.com/J0S5aq5ORq
Some formalities being ironed out, with Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Housing and Local Government, making an order appointing the hours from 7am to 10pm to be the hours of polling at the general election on 29 November.
To stand for election to the Dáil, a candidate must be a citizen of Ireland and at least 21 years of age by polling day.
The latest time for receiving nominations is 12 noon on Saturday 16 November.
Candidates may also withdraw their nominations up to 12 noon on Monday 18 November.
Over 3.5 million people are currently entitled to vote at Dáil elections.
Interested in a Dáil run yourself?
Here’s the details on how you can do just that from the Department of Local Government:
A candidate not in possession of a certificate of political affiliation must have their nomination completed using either of the following options:
To recap:
The 33rd Dáil has been dissolved and the stage is now set for a general election.
On 29 November, between 7am and 10pm, the close to 3.5 million registered voters in Ireland will have their say on the make-up of the next Dáil.
Some 174 TDs will be elected across 43 constituencies – this is an increase in 14 TDs and four constituencies since the last general election in 2020.
The campaigning has begun in earnest, with candidates already out canvassing.
A reminder that anyone who is eligible to vote but has not yet registered still has time to apply for entry in the register of electors.
To be eligible to vote, a person must be 18 years of age or over on or before polling day and be ordinarily resident in the constituency in which they wish to vote.
You can check that your details are correct and up-to-date at www.checktheregister.ie
If your details are correct, there is no need to do anything and your polling information card will issue in due course.
Eligible voters who are not on the register, or who need to update their details – for example, because they have moved house – can do so by submitting an online application at www.checktheregister.ie or by submitting a form to their local authority.
Relevant application forms are available from City, County or City and County Councils (these are the registration authorities) or online at www.checktheregister.ie
Completed applications must be received by the registration authority for the area in which you reside by Tuesday 12 November.
If a person is eligible to vote by post or is unable to vote in person, and they are not on the Postal Voters List or Special Voters List, they can apply for inclusion in those lists.
The deadline for receipt of applications is Sunday 10 November 2024. Application forms are available from City, County or City and County Councils and online at www.checktheregister.ie
That’s it from our liveblog!
Make sure your registered to vote on 29 November, it takes less than three minutes.
And for those who want to hear more from the respective parties, here’s what we know so far about the televised debates.
And to those who want to go deeper still, here’s everything else you need to know about the general election, from manifestos to policy documents, and what happens after the votes are cast.
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