Harris calls snap poll for 29 November

A general election in the Republic of Ireland has officially been called for Friday 29 November.

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Simon Harris made the announcement outside government buildings in Dublin on Friday.

He said the time was “now right” to ask the Irish people for a new mandate for the government.

Harris then travelled to the Irish president’s residence – Áras an Uachtaráin – to ask Michael D Higgins to dissolve the current Dáil (lower house of the Irish parliament).

Under Irish law, once the Dáil is dissolved an election must be held within 30 days.

Announcing the snap poll in three weeks time, Harris said to voters that “you alone are sovereign”.

“You go out and you cast your vote, and in return you’re entitled to good government and hard work.”

The Fine Gael leader said the coalition government – made up of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and The Green Party – had made “real progress” and thanked his coalition partners.

“We did not agree on every issue but we did always work hard and together for the good of the Irish people.”

Harris continued by saying Ireland is a “small country with a big influence all over the world”.

“We have many assets, but no asset more valuable than our people,” he added.

The taoiseach said parties will seek alternative mandates over Ireland’s future over the next three weeks, and it was “vital” that an election take place to consider the different “visions for our country’s economic and social future”.

Harris also called for the election to be a “safe and respectful campaign” for politicians and their teams.

“Finally, I ask just one thing of the Irish people: Value your vote, use your voice,” he said.

“That’s how this country works, that’s how we listen, that’s how we act on your behalf.”

Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin have already sworn against a coalition ahead of the general election.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Martin said it is not a given that his party will enter government with Fine Gael again.

He said his party will campaign on its own merit.

“Debate is the lifeblood of democracy and elections.

“I look forward to the debates because the government will be putting forward its priorities, its policies, as we did in the last election,” he added.

Martin said Sinn Féin has ruled out working with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and they likewise had ruled out working with them.

“We have a multi-party system, or proportional representation system, it gives us good diversity. I’m not going to predict anything, the dynamic of the campaign will take over.”

At a launch of her Dublin Central campaign on Thursday, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said there was an “opportunity for a change” from the government parties.

She added her party was the only option for voters who want a government without Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.

She said her party’s preference would be a left coalition government.

In this general election, the number of TDs (MPs) seeking election and the number of constituencies will increase following a 2023 review.

There are now 43 Dáil constituencies – an increase of four from 2020 – which will elect between three and five TDs each.

A total of 174 TDs will be selected, meaning that 88 TDs will be required to form a majority government.

Three parties – Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and The Green Party – make up the coalition government in the Republic of Ireland.

Voters last went to the polls in February 2020 where Fianna Fáil won the most seats (38).

But the party fell short of a majority and entered into negotiations with Fine Gael, who led the then-outgoing government, and the Green Party.

An agreement on a coalition deal was reached four months later, having been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, in June 2020.

As part of this, the role of taoiseach was to be swapped between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael mid-way through the five-year term – with Harris currently in the top job.

Sinn Féin, who recorded a historic result in the 2020 election after winning 37 seats, currently lead the opposition.

A number of other parties, such as Labour, Social Democrats, People Before Profit, Aontú and independents, also make up the opposition.

Analysis by BBC News NI political editor Enda McClafferty

“Bring it on” was the message from McDonald as she launched her constituency campaign in a Dublin city centre hotel on Thursday.

She was setting out her party’s strategy for the forthcoming election and building a campaign around seven key areas, including building extra homes, fixing the health service, childcare, universal health credit and Irish reunification.

She says she wants to build a coalition of the left and remove Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil both from the equation.

Fiery exchanges during the last Dáil sitting on Thursday offered voters an insight into what voters can expect over the next three weeks.

It’s going to be intense and, as we know, campaigns in the Republic of Ireland can turn pretty quickly.

Very often what is the case is that the position that the parties are in at the polls at the start of the campaign is not necessarily the position they will be in at the end.

In 2020 Sinn Féin was in the same position where they were third in the poll rating, but then they jumped to being the most popular party whenever all the votes were counted.

We know a lot has happened since then in terms of the difficulties the party has faced, not least around immigration and that will still be a problem for them when it comes to speaking to people on the doorsteps.

Selling a message is one thing, defending positions is another.