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IT’S THE MORNING after Budget 2025 was unveiled in the Dáil, and speculation is continuing to grow over when the next General Election will be held.
But Taoiseach Simon Harris has once again poured water on suggestions that it may be held this side of Christmas.
Well, sort of.
He was brushing off questions about an election date this morning – but just happened to be doing so while out on the streets of Dublin city centre this morning with ministers, the Lord Mayor of Dublin and some of his party’s General Election candidates.
The group canvassed commuters as they got on and off the Luas Green Line at St Stephen’s Green and handed out leaflets outlining “how Budget 2025 helps you”.
Since Harris became Taoiseach six months ago. He has insisted in recent weeks that the Government will go to full term.
However most TDs are primed for an election this side of Christmas – with various Fridays in November being mooted as potential date.
Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty called on Harris to call the election in the Dáil yesterday and “let the people decide who presents the next budget”.
Harris replied: “Let us pass this budget first.”
Could this be taken as a hint at a pre-Christmas election?
When he appeared on RTÉ’s Nine O’Clock News last night, Harris said the coalition still has a lot of work to do and that the election would be held “in due course”.
But he was asked by reporters this morning whether he had one eye on the election when putting together the Budget, which has been dubbed a “giveaway” by opposition parties and commentators.
Harris said: “I want the Government to finish its work.”
He said he was not going to provide a running commentary on the date, as it would be “utterly disrespectful” to do so.
“The Constitution doesn’t ask that I provide hourly updates to the media on my thinking in relation to the Budget,” he said.
“There’s no mention of that in Bunreacht na hÉireann.
It’s my constitutional prerogative to call the election, but I have been very clear in relation to wanting to do this in a respectful way at the right time.
Harris said he has great respect for coalition leaders Micheál Martin and Roderic O’Gorman, “and I won’t be providing them with running commentaries or surprises”.
“I want the government to finish its work. I want the government to get on with the job. The budget was only yesterday, and the budget has not been enacted into law or at least very few parts of it have.
“There’s a lot of work to do in the time ahead. Government is working well. That’s absolutely where my focus is and my position on the election hasn’t changed.”
When he was pushed to clarify the matter by declaring that it would not happen before Christmas if that was the position, he said:
“My position on this won’t change no matter how many times I’m asked the question.
He reiterated that he wanted the Government to finish its work and to ensure that people “get the benefits that we put in place yesterday”.
“Any conversations I have about the timing of the election – and my position on this has been clear – will happen with leaders, and won’t happen through the media.”
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland this morning, the Tánaiste was singing from a similar hymn sheet. He said his preference for the timing of the election would be February, deeming it “the ideal time”.
“I believe the logistics for anything earlier are very difficult because the Finance Bill still has to be delivered, the Social Protection measures have to be delivered,” Martin said.
“There’s been a speculative frenzy in the last two months. I haven’t contributed to that frenzy. I have been very consistent in terms of my timeline in respect of an election and nothing really has changed in my perspective on it.”
Martin added that he found the frenzy hard to understand “because the difference between November and February isn’t enormous”.
As we await a date, you can read what you will into the Taoiseach’s decision to spend his post-Budget morning canvassing commuters alongside his team of Dáil hopefuls.
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Oh! I don’t know, the anger at the Governments complete waste of taxpayers money is something that is starting to resonate with voters, and could you blame them. Bike sheds, security huts, modular homes, children’s hospital, etc. There won’t be an election this year.
I’d like to see him canvas the Red Line LUAS, Green is easy.
@Meh Meh: are you joking? People on the LUAS are delighted they don’t have to pay for it anymore.
Anybody who supports or votes for this runt and his FG litter are complicit in the destruction of this state and the people in it. A useless excuse for a man who promises the sun,moon and stars but will deliver nothing.
He was right to call out Dohertys utter brass neck discussing child welfare. You will recall that the group that ‘interrogated’ Mairia Cahill, kangaroo court style, are still involved with Sinn Fein. McDonald refused to suspend or expell them.
@james rowan: It’s a shame the party lacks that same determination when it comes to interrogators of abuse victims. You’d fit right in with this ability to ignore it, too.
@james rowan: in fairness, by any metric, Jacky boy wasn’t “at the races” at all on prime time…..looked ‘zoned’ out- exhausted from the day it was
These lads can’t even be honest with themselves
I don’t like this government, but what’s the alternative? I’d like to see a government made up of independents with experts in each department. But that’s not going to happen
@Chris Lane: as long as you believe in the free market, along with its good friend social conservatism, it doesn’t matter what party you belong to. Calling for increased deregulation, paying no heed to widening gaps between the well off and the rest, being endlessly side tracked into an avalanche of nonsense on social media, pushing socially conservative agendas (back we go to good old Ireland but with the population doing a job on itself without any need for the clergy to force them into it)banging on about a United Irelnd when there are far more pressing issues…..yet what party is free of these encumbrances?
Harris looks like a 12 year old boy who has seen a ghost, canvassing closer to to holloween is risky as people will think it’s a child trick or treating or a holloween decoration at the door.
@Freda Peeple: same old same old also Harris is going gray very quick must be the job
The dogs on the street KNOW it’s November election…. & It’ll be same ole’, same ole’ for next 5 yrs …… Well, WITHOUT the green tax brigade. & SF have only themselves to blame for the lacklustre few seats they’ll ( be fortunate) to hang on to
A bunch of self-serving C#lowns are running this country into the ground over the last number of years, nothing will change in the next election but more broken promises.
FG, FG and another will be the new Government whether it’s in November or February. Sinners had an open goal and kicked wide. The longer time goes on the more farcical the Sinn Fein promises are. Even their loyalists are throwing their eyes up to heaven at some of them. But, then again, it is close to election time and promises from all parties should be taken with a rather large pinch of salt.
A budget designed to buy votes. People shouldn’t fall for this Mccreevy/Ahern type election politics. Meanwhile the structural change we need in Irish society, where workers earning under 60K are rewarded properly and respected, where the genuine people who need our social protection are looked after properly, and where those who are able but unwilling to work are on a declining SP rate, is absent. These one-off payments add nothing to the quality of life or economic change needed in Irish society, for the vast majority. Even the €12 SP increase for the carers, pensioners and those with special needs is pathetic, and would barely buy a box of washing powder. I’ll be voting to boot them out of office. I’ll be voting SF.
Wouldn’t surprise me if the lads at The Ditch have some more dirt on the Blueshirts. Can’t think of any other reason why Simon Harris wouldn’t have set a date yet.
Are the politicians and civil servants ever going to be held accountable for the abuse of public monies?
No. So it doesn’t matter what group of politicians stick together all they will do is look after themselves and friends and just screw the very genuine people of this country for what they can. Promise us everything….like Simon when he was minister for health but left families in so much pain for not doing what he said he would. He promised and convinced the familys that he would sort but never did and now he is leader of our country. I just cannot understand it. I have no political affiliation but I cannit stand people that are supposed to run our country for us just line the pockets of people and rest of us have to pay for it in stealth taxes. If the politicians had pride in their country it would be run effectively and efficiently .
Sure why do I waste my time writing this sure they are lining up the golden pensions … expenses and the lump sum pay off when they retire.
It’s like a bad sketch show…
This lad won’t give up the limelight until he has to!
All election candidates should be quizzed about the SPHE program being introduced to 12 and 13 year olds in our schools. Content and secrecy surrounding this is horrifying particularly in light of the fact that the books are being retained in the schools so parents are unable to view the contents. Whistleblower’s explanation of the course below: https://youtu.be/nqeAMtxbrsM?si=Z-x7d8YYLC0MevGP&sfnsn=wa
Taoiseach, how are our military going to effectively evacuate Irish citizens from Lebanon? Will we send over the aircraft we purchased?
What, we never thought of that you say?
Oh!
Not very good then are you?
Fingers drifting away from the thumb is a unique sign of lower IQ
And so it begins the tell tale lies I said you said two bob’s work mam, what a sham, he’s done us all a favor with his giveaway budget to keep us quite down all the days.
They really think the people are stupid
Man who labels anyone who criticizes policy with the Misinformation label, will ironically in the end be guilty of Misinformation on a grand scale, when he calls this election in the next few weeks, following his start today in canvassing the public. The hypocrisy of this man in misinforming the public, akin to his PR arm RTE who Misinformed & Lied to the public, but we’re rewarded with massive Exit Packages, Pensions, NDA’s & a three quarters of a Billion Bailout, without even being held accountable. We all see who & where the real Misinformation eminates from & it’s from the top down in Dail Eirinn.
Put the three of them into Government together next time. FG, FF and Sinn Fein. None of them could hide or make crazy promises.
Sinn Fein promises very fair and good but we want Helen McEntee to stay in the government so will vote FF/FG. She is the best minister for justice ever. 3600 people attended citizenship ceremony in September and still waiting for their certificates of naturalization to be able to vote. Another ceremony in December. Really hope that election will happen next year to allow all those thousands of people to get their citizenship certificates and vote for good people but not far right/drug gangs.
@Sergej Simonov: she is the worst ever
Not voting for you
Avoiding the budget positives by deflecting away from it is transparent political strategy by the failing populist left.
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