Taoiseach told to stop games and announce election date

Taoiseach Simon Harris has been told to “stop playing games” and announce the day of the general election.

The Fine Gael leader said on Tuesday that the election will be on a Friday and will be held in the next number of weeks.

However, whether the date will be November 29 or December 6 will depend on how quickly the Finance Bill can be passed to give effect to Budget 2025.

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Finance Minister Jack Chambers told the Irish Mirror that it has not yet been determined whether the Finance Bill will need one week or two weeks to pass once the Dáil returns from its Halloween break in a fortnight’s time. If it requires two weeks, the election will most likely be Friday, December 6.

Speaking in Leinster House, People Before Profit’s Paul Murphy said the Taoiseach, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman must have decided a date and they should now make it public.

“They continue to play this game, even though they have a date themselves,” he told reporters. “The reason for it is they don't want to have a long election campaign.

“If they said November 29 now, then we’re into a five-and-a-half-week election campaign. What are they so scared of? Why don't they want to have a long election campaign where people can debate what sort of government we can have?

“What they're scared of is momentum developing behind the idea that we don't want Fianna Fail and Fine Gael back in. I think the Government should just give us the date that they clearly have agreed between themselves at this point in time instead of continuing to play some of these games.”

On his way into Cabinet, Mr Harris said that he had a "fair idea" of when the election would be but would not divulge the date. “I’ve a very good idea, but obviously, the Finance Bill does need to be passed, that requires the work of the Oireachtas," the Taoiseach said.

"I will decide, in line with the constitution, the appropriate date to have the election. I like elections on a Friday. Friday is a good day to have an election. So, therefore, there’s not that many Fridays to choose from.”

Finance Minister Jack Chambers confirmed that he will be “updating and adjusting the timeline and schedule for the Finance Bill”. Asked by the Irish Mirror if he believed it would be possible to pass the Bill fully by November 8, the Fianna Fáil deputy leader said he was still unsure.

“Clearly, there will be an accelerated timeline on the Finance Bill in the week of November 5,” he said. “We'll be agreeing a schedule within Government about whether that takes a week or a second week. But it can be accelerated.”

If the Finance Bill is passed by November 7, it is likely that the Dáil will be dissolved as early as November 7 or 8 with an election on November 29.

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