A general election is expected to be called this week, as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar meets British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Belfast on Monday.

The two leaders will meet at Stormont days ahead of the likely start of the election campaign.

Almost four years of speculation about an election date is likely to be put to bed this week, with Mr Varadkar saying he has made his mind up about when to go to the polls.

He said he wants to tie up some loose ends first - including a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, and a visit from the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday.

Mr Varadkar is also due to meet the Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin again in the coming days.

All that puts Wednesday evening or Thursday in line to be the day Mr Varadkar seeks the dissolution of the 32nd Dáil.

On Monday, he is traveling to Belfast to meet the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson - as well as political leaders in Northern Ireland - after the re-establishment of the Stormont executive over the weekend.

Fine Gael will be trying to push the Government's record on Brexit during the election.

Mr Varadkar may feel a few days sharing the podium with other world leaders will be a good look to kick start his bid to win a mandate to govern for the next five years.

Reporting by Sean Defoe