AFTER WEEKS OF speculation, Taoiseach Simon Harris has announced that the general election will be held on Friday 29 November.

The Fine Gael leader made the announcement today on RTÉ’s Six One News.

Harris said he will ask President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the Dáil on Friday.

The Taoiseach said over the last number of weeks he has said he wanted to get the Finance bill passed.

“It’s important that we underpin the budget. I didn’t want to be knocking on people’s doors until we have tax cuts actually passed into law. There’s important work to be carried out in the Dáil and the Seanad today and tomorrow.

“It’s my intention then to seek a dissolution of the Dáil by President Higgins on Friday,” he confirmed, stating that he had discussed the matter with other coalition leaders.

“It’s my hope that we will have polling day in this country on the 29th of November,” he added, saying that he is looking forward to the weeks ahead where he will be asking the people of Ireland for a mandate. 

Tánaiste scoop 

Tánaiste Micheál Martin scooped the Taoiseach earlier this afternoon announcing that the general election will be called this Friday.

Beating Taoiseach Simon Harris to the announcement, Martin told Virgin Media News that it is his understanding the election will be called on Friday.

“We’re looking forward to it. You can see people out and about already in terms of campaigning, but it will be on Friday,” the Tánaiste said.

Harris said this evening that he felt it was important to make the announcement in a way that was “respectful to the budgetary process”.

The Taoiseach said he also wanted to make sure that the coalition government, which he said has worked well together, comes to an “amicable end”.

“I think we’re now ready to put our case to the people. I very much look forward to putting my case to the people in the weeks ahead,” he added. 

The election could technically have been called any time up until February, five years since the last general election. 

However speculation had deepened that it would be called sooner, particularly after the government’s giveaway Budget and coupled with Sinn Féin dropping significantly in recent opinion polls. 

Under the timeline for elections, anyone who is eligible to vote but is not yet on the electoral register can still register to vote, but only up until 15 days before polling day. 

This is a breaking story. More to follow