According to Tánaiste Micheál Martin, the three leaders of the coalition parties will decide on the general election date within the next week, reports RTE.
Mr. Martin concurred that clarification on the matter was now required in an interview with RTÉ News in Cork.
The remarks follow Roderic O’Gorman, the leader of the Green Party, stating that he preferred November 29 for the General Election.
Mr. Martin stated that he would not discuss certain dates. “Key” was the Finance Bill’s passing into law, he said. His words, “That is the only issue,”
“I always said we need to get work done before the general election, because we are here to represent people. The Planning Bill will make a difference to housing and infrastructure. The Finance Bill has to get done and it has to be done properly. That is the only issue. It seems to me that if Roderic is anxious to get it earlier – obviously the Taoiseach will have a say as well – but to me the Finance Bill is key. That puts flesh on the bones of the Budget. I would agree that there is a need for clarity at this stage, but I think this is something we can deal with next week,” reports RTE.
According to Mr. Martin, he has “always” supported holding elections in February so that the government may finish its term, but he also stated that “the difference between December and February isn’t huge.”
“Politics is politics – I’m not too excited about it,” Mr. Martin responded when asked if Roderic O’Gorman had gone too far in urging the election to be conducted on November 29.
Roderic O’Gorman, the head of the Green Party, stated that he will speak with the Taoiseach and Tánaiste on Monday over the timing, but he feels that the Irish people need certainty, reports RTE.
He claimed to be “beginning to get the sense that people are getting sick and tired of the ‘will they – won’t they?'” after canvassing the doors.
He told reporters: “Now is the time to bring some degree of certainty to the Irish people in terms of the election date. I’ll be meeting the other two coalition leaders on Monday what I’ll be saying to them is that I think we need to bring clarity and I’ll be saying my preference is for a November election, for the 29th of November. That gives us the opportunity to get those final pieces of legislation through,” reports RTE.
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