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.

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.

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

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.

“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

— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) November 8, 2024

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.

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. 

Some posters were even up before dawn. The Journal The Journal

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. 

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

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.”