As it happened: General election officially called with vote to take place on November 29
Election Announces Sam Boal/collins Simon Taoiseach Harris The Photos Picture:
After months of speculation, it's finally here. Simon Harris has called a general election and the Dáil has been dissolved. The election will take place on November 29.
With the Dáil dissolved, it brings an end to the four-and-a-half-year lifespan of the historic Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Green Party coalition government.
After the 2020 general election delivered an inconclusive result, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, two parties forged from opposing sides of Ireland’s Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power. The Green Party joined the administration as a junior partner.
Here's how the day played out.
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has now moved the writ for the 2024 general election, firmly setting Friday, November 29 as polling day.
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Nominations for the general election will close at midday on Saturday 16 November, with candidates able to withdraw these up until 12 noon on Monday, November 18.
For individuals looking to register to vote in the election, all completed applications must be with the relevant local authority by Tuesday, 12 November.
If a person is eligible for a postal vote, including those with illnesses or a disability, the deadline to register for this must be received by local authorities by Sunday, 10 November, or two days’ time.
The election itself is to elect a total of 173 members of the Dáil, excluding Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, who is automatically returned.
Simon Harris has left the residence of President Michael D Higgins after fulfilling the constitutional formalities required to dissolve the Dáil.
Mr Higgins and his wife Sabina accompanied Mr Harris to the front door of Áras an Uachtaráin before they waved him farewell.
The Taoiseach waved to waiting media before being driven out of the Phoenix Park residence to begin election campaigning in earnest.
President Michael D Higgins has formally dissolved the 33rd Dáil to mark the beginning of the general election campaign.
The dissolution triggers the start of what will be a relatively short three-week campaign ahead of polling day on Friday, November 29.
Simon Harris has now arrived at Áras an Uachtaráin, where he will ask the President to dissolve the Dáil.
Mr Harris was greeted by Secretary General to the President Orla O’Hanrahan as he exited his car at the front of Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.
Inside he will pass the Warrant of Advice to President Higgins requesting that he dissolve the parliament.
Mr Higgins will then sign the Proclamation of Dissolution before passing it to Mr Harris for counter signature.
At that point the Dáil will be formally dissolved and the general election campaign will be officially under way.
Simon Harris has confirmed he will today ask President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the Dáil ahead of an election on November 29.
In a statement outside Government Buildings, the Taoiseach said: "The time is now right to ask the Irish people to give a new mandate".
Speaking to reporters before leaving for Phoenix Park, Mr Harris said he believed his government made real progress for the country as he thanked his coalition partners, Fianna Fáil and the Greens, who worked with his Fine Gael party.
“We did not agree on every issue but we did always work hard and together for the good of the Irish people,” he said.
He said they delivered five progressive budgets which protected the people during the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis.
“Our coalition is delivering new homes across our country and it has built up the finances and the plans to deliver the homes that our people need in the future,” he said.
The Taoiseach is expected to make an announcement outside Government Buildings, where it is expected he will call the general election.
The Labour Party has also been out talking to the media today.
At a housing policy launch, the party is calling for the rollback of several existing government schemes — including Help to Buy and the First Homes Scheme.
Party leader Ivana Bacik says this would be done on a phased basis, with the party seeking to replace Help to Buy with a new scheme called Save to Buy.
This new scheme would contain income limits, after saying that the existing scheme disproportionately benefits high-income households.
Ms Bacik says that the scheme itself will operate in the same vein as the SSIA scheme from the early 2000s, with no single lump sum payments being made.
The party is also proposing a new Rent to Buy scheme, which would apply to people living in cost-rental. If individuals live in the property for more than three years and fully pay their rent, they will have a proportion of this rent put towards a deposit for purchasing their home.
Micheál Martin has been hitting the campaign trail today. The Tánaiste says he has no fears about debating Taoiseach Simon Harris during the campaign but has ruled out government with Sinn Féin.
Mr Martin will face off with Mr Harris in a number of debates in the coming three weeks, but Mr Martin says that he will be putting forward the Fianna Fáil position. He did not say, however, how he plans to debate Mr Harris without being openly critical of Fine Gael policy.
"Debate is the lifeblood of democracy and elections. I look forward to the debates because Fianna Fáil will be putting forward its priorities, its policies, as we did in the last election. We spent a lot of time last time negotiating a programme for government. I'm looking forward to the debates," he said.
Asked about the prospect of a coalition with Sinn Féin, Mr Martin rejected the idea, but also did not accept that the choice facing the public was now a return of the current coalition or a government led by Sinn Féin.
"We've ruled out government with Sinn Féin. Sinn Féin has ruled out government with Fianna Fáil. They don't get the economic model. They don't get the enterprise model. They don't believe in free trade.
"They fail to support the ratification of the Canadian European Union trade deal, which is illustrative of their attitude to the economy, which is one of disconnect, I would argue strongly. But we have a multi-party system, a proportional representation system, which gives us good diversity, but also leads to multiplicity of parties.
"So I'm not going to predict anything. The dynamic of the campaign will take over. I would be wary, and suggest that everybody should be wary, of predictions. The campaigns will take on a dynamic all of their own. Fianna Fáil is focusing on maximising its vote, maximising the number of seats. I'm not concentrating on others. I'm concentrating on Fianna Fáil, getting the message out and getting as many of our candidates elected as we possibly can."
Unsure of whether you are eligible to vote or if you are on the electoral register? Political reporter Michelle McGlynn has covered all you need to know to make sure that you are registered and ready to cast your ballot.
People Before Profit-Solidarity has kick-started the party's election campaign by hanging a banner across Dublin's Ha'Penny Bridge, calling for an end to "100 years of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael".
Simon Harris has been speaking to the media in Budapest after attending the European Political Community summit.
Mr Harris said he will approach the election campaign with “determination, humility and a real hope that it doesn’t descend into tit for tat”.
Emphasising that as Fine Gael leader he takes nothing for granted, Mr Harris described his team of candidates, which includes a large number of new faces, as offering a mix of experience and energy. He described housing, immigration and childcare as among the issues that really matter to the Irish people but also urged a broadening of the political debate given world events.
“Up until now, 90% of the debate in Ireland has been about how you’re going to spend the money available to the government today… dependent on being able to spend that money is being able to generate it, is being able to keep jobs, keep investment, work at an EU level and be prepared for what could be a transatlantic trade shock,” he said.
“That’s why I’m pleased going into this campaign that we have set aside money. We used to be ridiculed for this… well this is exactly why we have the buffer that is there, is a transatlantic shock or indeed any other shock to our economy, my children will never have to experience the austerity that our generation did.”
There are a lot of questions to be answered about the election. Irish Examiner political editor Elaine Loughlin spoke to The Mick Clifford Podcast to take a look at the runners and riders, who is going to win, who is going to lose and who will surprise us all.
Simon Harris will return from a meeting of European political leaders in Hungary on Friday afternoon and travel to Áras an Úachtaráin to ask President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the Dáil ahead of a November 29 polling date.
Flashpoints are already emerging between the coalition parties, with Fine Gael considering the abolition of the Department of Higher Education, to be replaced by a Department of Infrastructure within the next government
Want to know what happens next? Our politics team runs the rule over what happens in the days once the election has been called.