Starting gun fired on November 29 election

A 3-week general election campaign has begun, with Ireland going to the polls on Friday, November 29.

The announcement was made on Friday afternoon by Taoiseach Simon Harris after weeks of non-stop rumours about the election date.

While a general election had to be called by next March as the government was coming towards the end of it’s full 5-year term, the decision was made to hold it slightly earlier.

Harris said, “the time is right to ask the Irish people to give a new mandate.”

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said “this is is an election about Ireland’s future.  It’s about how we can protect our many strengths and overcome deep challenges.”

“It will be a short three-week campaign, but the issues at stake could not be more serious,” he said.

The general election is being fought against a turbulent global backdrop with Donald Trump’s re-election in the United States, no end in sight for the Russia-Ukraine or Israel-Gaza wars and Germany also facing snap elections in the new year.

Current polling indicates that the Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil government is likely to be returned, with Sinn Féin starting the campaign on the backfoot.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that Ireland has a” historic choice” to make, a left-wing coalition led by Sinn Féin, or a choice between Tweedledum and Tweedledee.”

Independent candidates and smaller parties such as Independent Ireland, Labour and the Social Democrats will play a large part in dictating the composition of the next government which will most certainly be a coalition.

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said “while the government parties will be going to the people trying to spin a record of success, the reality is they have failed far too many people.”

“We have full employment, but half a million adults living in their childhood bedrooms; and record budget surpluses, but threadbare disability services.”

Cairns confirmed “the Social Democrats want to go into government and drive the change that is needed. ”

“In this election, the future is on the ballot – and the work to build that better future starts here. ”

Labour MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin told journalists in Brussels this week while Labour are still “hurt” by their involvement with Fine Gael between 2011 and 2016, he said the potential of Labour going into government is more appealing this time as it is a different economic backdrop, adding the party would demand a “big” price for their involvement in government.

Green leader Roderic O’Gorman told that media that his party are used to being “sniped” by coalition partners but said the party is relatively confident heading into the election.

People Before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett said “Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have ruled us for 100 years and what have we got? Rent and house prices that are at record levels and unprecedented homelessness; endless hospital waiting lists and the highest childcare costs and cost of living in Europe.”

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