The election will be held on Saturday the 8th of February.
Leo Varadkar has been briefing cabinet Ministers.
There was a sense among some Fine Gael ministers that Mr Varadkar would not wish to go into the Dail and “take several hours of grief” from opposition TDs, who can now numerically defeat the Government, even if Fianna Fail TDs abstain.
SATURDAY 8TH IS THE ELECTION DAY!
— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) January 14, 2020
How is the election date decided?
Under Irish law, once the Dáil is dissolved and the President has issued a proclamation confirming it, the Clerk of the Dáil issues a writ to the returning officer in each constituency directing them to hold an election of the prescribed number of members.
A general election must be held within 30 days of the dissolution of the Dáil.
The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government appoints the polling day which must be between the 18th and 25th day (excluding Good Friday, Sundays and public holidays) after the issue of the writ issued by the Clerk of the Dáil.
