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LAST UPDATE | 7 Nov 2024
TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS is in Budapest for an informal European Council meeting as political parties gear up for the general election.
But back at home, the Green Party has hit out at “sniping” from coalition party leaders.
After weeks of speculation, Harris announced yesterday evening that the election will be held on Friday 29 November.
The Fine Gael leader made the announcement on RTÉ’s Six One News, stating that he will ask President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the Dáil on Friday.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin scooped the Taoiseach yesterday by announcing that the general election will be called this Friday.
Beating Harris to the announcement, Martin told Virgin Media News that it is his understanding the election will be called on Friday when the Taoiseach would travel to Áras an Uachtaráin.
“We’re looking forward to it. You can see people out and about already in terms of campaigning, but it will be on Friday,” the Tánaiste said.
In order for the Dáil to be dissolved, the Taoiseach must first go to Áras an Uachtaráin and ask the President to dissolve the current Dáil.
Once the President dissolves the Dáil, the clock officially starts ticking and a general election must be held within 30 days.
Speaking today, Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman said his party has dealt with “sniping” every day for four and a half years in Government.
O’Gorman also revealed he had been informed of Harris’s decision to announce the election date publicly just 10-15 minutes before the broadcast interview.
The Green leader had previously put forward November 29 as his preferred date for the vote.
When questioned on whether Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin had been informed hours earlier, O’Gorman said: “I don’t know, did the Tánaiste know or did he make an educated guess but that’s when I found out.”
Addressing how Greens would deal with expected criticism from their coalition colleagues Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil during the campaign, O’Gorman said: “Well, we’ve dealt with sniping every day across the last four and a half years and we’ve still delivered key parts of our programme for Government, key parts of our manifesto.”
He added: “The polls as they stand now do suggest the two major parties (Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil) will be back in the next Government.
“I think if it’s a Government just made up of them or maybe topped up with a few Independents, I think would be a very different government to the one we just had over the last four and a half years – we won’t see those innovative policies in terms of climate, helping families and public transport.”
While political parties are kicking off their election campaign events, Harris travelled to Budapest where he participated in a roundtable discussion with European leaders on economic security.
Always good to catch up with @Keir_Starmer. Today we’re at a meeting of 37 leaders at the European Political Community. pic.twitter.com/ZUmiXV79eS
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) November 7, 2024
This evening, he will attend a working dinner of the European Council which will take stock of the outcome of the US elections, as well as other foreign policy issues, including Georgia and the situation in the Middle East.
The European Council will also meet on Friday morning to focus on the economic competitiveness challenges facing Europe.
Speaking to reporters in Budapest, Harris said he looks forward to taking part in the first collective discussion of the outcome of the US elections with his European Council counterparts.
He added that Ireland will work with the Trump administration, as the country did during his previous term in office, but should prepare for the impact of his presidency on the economy and Ukraine.
“President Trump has won the election in the United States decisively, and obviously the European Union and Ireland will now work with the democratically elected president-elect of the United States,” said Harris.
Harris noted that US elections “are always consequential beyond their own borders”, and both Ireland and the EU will “assess what President Trump may do” – and what impact this could have on the economy and European security.
Speaking ahead of the trip, Harris remarked that he would highlight his profound concern about the continuing catastrophe in the Middle East, especially the new legislation adopted in Israel that will prevent UNRWA carrying out its vital and life-saving work.
“There is no alternative to UNRWA. Preventing it from fulfilling its UN-given mandate will only heap more misery and hardship on the Palestinian people and therefore must be condemned,” he said.
Once the meeting has concluded, Harris is expected to land back in Dublin on Friday afternoon, where he is then expected to visit the president.
Harris told tonight’s parliamentary party meeting last night that Fine Gael “can win the next election by constant canvassing and wearing out the shoe leather”.
The Fine Gael leader said his party will “bring the campaign of all campaigns”.
He said Ireland is a great country and urged party colleagues not to let anyone talk this country down. He said Fine Gael’s team “have a great plan for the next five years”.
The Taoiseach said Fine Gael’s team of 80 candidates in 43 constituencies brings great energy and experience, but said nothing could be taken for granted and all must work for every single vote.
He said Fine Gael will have exciting proposals on childcare, supporting families and protecting our older people. He told the meeting that Fine Gael will double the number of houses built if they enter government again.
He said the party has plans to help families with the cost of living, increase Garda numbers, reduce the cost of childcare and help businesses thrive.
-With additional reporting from Press Association
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Bernie Sanders said “abandoning working class people,” costed them the election. . “When you abandon the working men and women of America, you shouldn’t be surprised when they abandon you.”
Simon should take note.
@Michale Kane: There’s no brownie points in that from George Soros and his NGO army though.
@Michale Kane: Most of Ireland middle class tho.
Hopefully while he’s there he might get a few tips from Viktor Orban,a true leader who puts his own people first and is well able to say no to both the EU and the cancerous NGO lobby!
@Jonn: A wise decision curtail the NGOs. You’ll find an organisation called USAID behind all the ‘colour revolutions’ of the last few decades. That’s who the US government sends in when they want to regime-change a country to install ‘American Values’
@Jonn: absolutely and Poland
@sean mcnamara:
Absolutely, Orban is well aware that the leftist NGOs are the enemy within,opening the door to them is like injecting a virus into your society,as we’ve learnt to our cost in Ireland over the last twenty years!
@Jonn: No fear of that
@Jonn: he should have stood up to the cancerous greens as well, forget about the rodent he just wants to make sure he’s food source is available
FG FF GP days are numbered . They have talked down to and ignored the indigenous Irish people . Payback time will be 29/11/2024 .
@Jim Ryan:
I dearly wish this were true,Jim,but sadly I doubt it,the Irish sheeple will carry on obediently voting for the same old shower,and keep getting the same old results!
@Jonn: We can only live in hope that it won’t be the same as usual this time , Jonn
@Jim Ryan: Which party would you like to see in government?
@Cole Palmer: Cole , my preference is for Irish Freedom Party , National Party , Ireland First , The Irish People . I’m not a member of any political party .
@Jim Ryan: Did you see Oberfeldwebel Barrett wearing the nazi style jacket? It was down to his shins. The coat pockets were at his knees! I laughed a lot at the poor little fella. Nearly as funny as his bewildered postman pat look when he puts the military style cap on. The security goons in fleeces are perfect, though. A fast-moving chihuahua could do him serious damage…
@Jim Ryan: very important to get these out and vote
@Jim Ryan: It’s likely the Greens will get decimated and FF FG will form the next government with some independents. Sinn Fein have pretty much imploded.
@honey badger: haha, what ever you do though, don’t call him a far right nazi, nor a bewildered one, for that matter – he and his fans would get very upset
@honey badger:
You’d imagine just seeing your pin-up Kamala getting her ass handed to her on a plate by the Don would have put some manners on you, but apparently not!
@Jonn: Imagine rushing to deflect for nazi smurf! Well done, Jonn. ;)
@Jonn: It’s called democracy, people can vote for whomever they like and if people vote FG and FF back into Government, then so be it, not everyone will agree, but everyone will have to accept it.
@Jonn: right there John. FF/FG well aware how fickle tge public are. Wave a few promises like multi year pension increases and the sheep fall for it.
Is his bringing his Kamala Harris hat ?
@Michale Kane: he better get some lessons from Monica lewinsky before he heads to the Whitehouse for paddy’s day, to make up for what he said about Trump last week!!!! I hope it’s good and cheesy for the little twerp!!!
The one thing the greens got right.Roderick o Gorman announced 29th November for the election.That was after Simon Harris told him.He couldn’t wait to tell everyone as if he was the one calling it so childish just like his predecessor
Zoom call anyone?
Cabal think in.
@087 bed: What about Cobalt?
Any chance he might stay there
FFG are in trouble and they know it, they see how Americans wanted there borders protected and put the people first, our shower didn’t do that and now the price is going to be heavy, anyone you talk to has nothing good to say about ffg
Maybe it’s time to take a leaf out of USA vote and vote in S F and give them a chance I am not affiliated to any party
@The Black Horse: how’s that a leaf out of USA sfein are far far left wokies, god people never learn
@The Black Horse:
If Mary Lou can not control the clowns and worse in Sinn fein.
How could we trust her to run a country?
@The Black Horse:
Why? Sinn Fein want to flood working class areas with refugees in order to promote social unrest.
@H Woo: Sinn Fein cannot be trusted on immigration . End of .
@The Black Horse: No one can say SF we’re terrible in government, so any predictive calling out is purely speculative, where say FF have been in or around power for 100 years and well we don’t have any of the things we need to improve living standards for the electorate over the next 50 years, so there’s that. Cant vote for them tho, they want all of the middle classes money. Unless I see them build something roads, trains, etc. Then maybe.
Roll on the Election, it’s going to be a Bonfire of the Vanities.
I can’t wait to vote for FG on the 29th
I give the Greens credit for what they achieved.
Sadly they have been taken over by gender ideology and open borders movements , which will prove fatal
Hungary is a beautiful country, a safe country, with a low crime rate, for obvious reasons
A masochist fir sure. Whipped already by Trump, Harris goes again!
Couldn’t be prouder of our great leader :)
Are the poor greens whining now? Looks good and them.
Country going into a General Election, does anybody know of Cobalt is running. Surely Harris should have the courage of his convictions & name them, rather than people been mislead & voting for Cobalt. Who is Cobalt ?
@SV3tN8M4: Not naming cobalt works in the government’s favour, so it’s unlikely that they would name him now before an election. It’s leaves an element of doubt over anybody in opposition that votes against FFG agenda, NATO involvement etc.
Good to see him sticking up to fascism
@Brian D’Arcy:
Will the Shinners refuse to attend the St Patrick day celebrations in the white house next year as a protest.?
@Brian D’Arcy: Yes, Trump is shaking in his shoes!
Bye bye agenda 2030 Trump won
And European psico will be suffer
If ya sleep with dogs you get up with fleas
The greens did not give one fig about the public the tried to enshrine their policies I statutes
But now they discover they we’re just being used as the pawns
have your say