The Taoiseach is to seek the dissolution of the Dáil tomorrow. Simon Harris confirmed last night the Dáil will hold it’s final session today and that the General Election will take place on November 29th.
The Coalition Government was put in place in Summer 2020 after the February 8th election. Fine Gael(FG) had formed the outgoing government on a Confidence and Supply agreement with Fianna Fáil(FF). In 2020 FF won 38 seats, Sinn Fein 37 seats and FG 35. Negotiations to form a new government continued through to June, disrupted by the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. A Programme for Government agreed by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party was published on 15 June 2020. On 26 June, all three parties voted to enter Government under the Programme for Government with Micheal Martin and Leo Varadkar to rotate the position of Taoiseach – the first such arrangement in Ireland.
Many TDs have already cleared their desks at Leinster House and they are out on the campaign trail and over 20 TDs from various parties are not running in the election this time including Tipperary TD Jackie Cahill who is stepping down on health advice. Housing, immigration, public safety, the cost of living, health services, climate change, Uisce Eireann and management of the state finances are likely to be the key election issues. Voters are advised to ensure they are registered to vote by checking the register at the website checktheregister.ie. For Postal voters, the latest date from receipt of applications for a Dáil election is 2 days after the dissolution of the Dáil – those eligible to apply should do so by Friday November 8th. Forms for those seeking a postal vote because they are working or studying away from Home(PV4) and forms for those seeking a postal vote because they are ill or have a disability(PV2) are available on the checktheregister.ie website – these forms require certification other than the applicants signature.
