General Election set for February 8

 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has announced a decision to call a General Election for Saturday, February 8.

In doing so, the leader of the current government will travel to Áras an Uachtaráin later this afternoon to seek a dissolution of the 32nd Dáil from President Michael D Higgins.

Mr Varadkar cancelled this morning's meeting of Fine Gael ministers and brought forward a meeting with his Cabinet to inform them of the decision.

Speaking to assembled media, Mr Varadkar said it has been a “privilege” to serve the country as Taoiseach, and stated that as a nation, despite the uncertainties of Brexit, Ireland has “every reason to be positive about the future.”

He acknowledged that the progress that has been made is not enough, and that many people have not yet felt the “strength of the economy” in their own pockets.

He accepted too that people are “frustrated” at the the pace of progress on potential key elections issues such as housing and health, but said that Fine Gael has a plan to tackle these issues and others if re-elected to government.

It is the first time that a general election has been called on a weekend day, and Mr Varadkar concluded that this was done with parents of children in mind and the disruption the closure of schools caused previously.

Already a number of new names have emerged as candidates in the five-seater Cavan Monaghan constituency. Cavan Labour party representative Liam van der Spek announced this week his intention to run.

Mr van der Spek stood as a candidate in the local election less than six months ago when he earned 591 first preference votes. He said: “I’m running because we need representatives who will fight for ordinary working people; those who go to work, pay their taxes and expect quality public services in return.”
Also to declare in the past week is Independent candidate Jonathan Rainey.
He most recently issued a press release delivering a scathing assessment of fellow election candidate, Deputy Niamh Smyth’s calls to have the Kingscourt Railway line reopened.

“It will never happen, it’s a ludicrous waste of money and time when we have a first world road network leading onto N3/M3 and N2/M2 and it’s about time politicians on all sides admitted the same,” he said.

The Green Party, meanwhile, have selected Tate Donnelly (21) from Castleblayney to contest the election on their behalf.

At just 21 years old, Donnelly has already made a name for himself, having been elected to the Green Party National Executive Committee last summer. He has served as Secretary of the Cavan Monaghan Greens for 18 months, during which time, he managed two election campaigns, for both Mícheál Callaghan and Conan Connolly in last year’s local elections.

Along with Deputy Smyth, Brendan Smith and Robbie Gallagher will stand for Fianna Fail at the next election.

Minister for Business Heather Humphreys meanwhile will line-out alongside two newcomers- Virginia-based Councillor TP O'Reilly (1,576 first pref), who replaced Senator Joe O'Reilly on the ticket despite only having been elected recently, and former Foróige Chair Sandra McIntyre from Bawnboy.

With the impending retirement of stalwart Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Matt Carthy will stand for Sinn Féin in Co Monaghan at the next election, with former Cavan Councillor, Pauline Tully representing Cavan.

Aontú finally will run Sarah O'Reilly as a candidate in Cavan-Monaghan. The Bailieborough-based County Council was not only the highest polling candidate, receiving almost 3,000 first preference votes, but she was also the first representative of Peadar Tobín's new party elected nationally in the last local election.

For the first time parts of Meath have been included in Cavan-Monaghan constituency following new boundary changes proposals implemented by the Constituency Commission back in 2017.

Drumconrath, part of Lobinstown, Meath Hill, Kilmainhamwood and Carrickleck are the areas included.

There are five seats available for contest in the upcoming election.

 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's speech in full:

This morning I informed the cabinet that I would ask the President to dissolve the 32nd Dáil and to hold an election on Saturday, February 8th.
I have always said that the election should happen at the best time for the country.
Now is that time.
We have a deal on Brexit that ensures no hard border, citizens’ rights will protected and the Common Travel Area will remain in place. The Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive have reconvened.
However, Brexit is not done yet. It’s only half-time.
The next step is to negotiate a free trade agreement between the EU, including Ireland, and the United Kingdom that protects our jobs, our businesses, our rural communities, and our economy.
The capacity to do everything else that needs to be done — health, housing, climate action, tax reform — depends on achieving this outcome. And, it has to be done by the end of the year.
There is a window of opportunity to hold a General Election and to have a new Government in place before the next European Council meeting in March with a strong mandate to focus on these negotiations into the summer and autumn.
It has been a privilege to lead this country as your Taoiseach for the last two and half years. Thank you for that honour and your trust in me.
Our economy has never been stronger. There are more people at work than ever before, incomes are rising, poverty is falling and the public finances are in back in order.
We’ve made good progress, but I know it’s not enough.
I want us to do much more.
Now I seek a fresh mandate so we can continue to build a better future. A future we can all look forward to.
We have the team. We have the track record. We have the plans.