The Taoiseach has confirmed he plans to call General Election 2024 for Friday, 29th.

The final pre-election hurdle was cleared last night, as the Finance Bill was debated in the Dáil to give effect to Budget 2025 measures.

On RTÉ's Six One news this evening, Simon Harris confirmed that he plans to dissolve the Dáil on dissolved on Friday.

General Election

He said it is his 'hope' that polling day will be held on November 29th.

“We wanted to get the Finance Bill passed," he said. "It’s important that we underpin the Budget. We don’t want to be knocking on people’s doors until we have tax cuts actually passed into law," he said

"There is important work to be carried out in the Dáil and the Seanad today and tomorrow, it’s my intention then to seek dissolution of the Dáil by President Higgins on Friday.”

Campaign

Tánaiste Micheál Martin told the Tonight Show on Virgin Media, he is "looking forward" to campaigning.

"We're going to engage with people - I'll continue to travel the length and breadth of the country," he said.

Ceremony

Despite the Taoiseach confirming his plans for polling day, there is still some steps to be taken before the vote becomes official.

Simon Harris is flying to Budapest tomorrow for a meeting of EU leaders.

He will come back from that engagement on Friday afternoon, when he will head to Áras an Uachtaráin to officially request the dissolution of the 33rd Dáil.

From then, the election proper begins – though most candidates have been out on the campaign trail for the past few weeks already.

The announcement does mean there will be a tight deadline for registering to vote – with the deadline for anyone aiming to register now likely to fall next Tuesday.

Taoiseach Simon Harris speaking on the phone from his office at Government Buildings in Dublin, 15-5-24. Image: X/@SimonHarrisTD