While the trip has been postponed with sources downplaying the cancellation of the trip, the news will likely fuel further speculation that a general election is about to be called.

A Government spokesperson told The Journal:

“The trade mission has been postponed and will be rescheduled to allow for the best possible programme to be put in place. It is common for the dates of such missions to change.”

There has been widespread speculation that an election will be held in November, with many in Leinster House playing a game of guesswork around the Taoiseach’s itinerary for the next few weeks. 

Last week, Simon Harris was in Washington DC, with the Taoiseach currently in Brussels for an EU Council meeting. 

The trip to Poland had fed into speculation that an election could not be called in the run up to the Dáil rising for the mid-term break, as the Taoiseach would have been departing on the trip around that time. 

The Dáil is due to rise on 24 October and not return until 5 November, with a bank holiday on the 28 October. 

Legally, an election has to be held before March 2025 when the current Government will reach its five year limit, but many have suspected that as soon as the Budget was out of the way it would be game on.

• Ready, set, wait: With election speculation rampant, how soon could the Government call one?

Speaking in Washington DC last week, Harris told reporters passing essential budget legislation – like the Social Welfare and Finance Bills – was one of his priorities in addition to setting the new Government housing targets, and “significantly” progressing mental health and defamation legislation. 

The Social Welfare and Gambling bills, as well as hate crime legislation, have been passed, further adding the to speculation that an early election is coming.