Ireland Set to Hold General Election on November 29, Taoiseach Simon Harris Confirms

A general election is expected to be called in Ireland by the end of the week, with polling anticipated on Friday, November 29.

Taoiseach Simon Harris confirmed his intentions before the Dáil returned following the October recess. While the three coalition leaders have agreed to hold the election this year, an official date has yet to be formally announced.

Harris highlighted the urgency of passing the Finance Bill, which enacts the Budget 2025 measures, as a priority before dissolving the Dáil. The bill is expected to clear the final stages in the Dáil within the week. Additional key legislation, including the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission and Appropriation Bill, will also need to pass to ensure ongoing government operations.

“We need to conduct some important business this week,” Harris said, emphasising that the Finance Bill should be passed within the next 48 hours. Once completed, he plans to seek the Dáil’s dissolution to commence the election campaign, which he anticipates will give Irish citizens time to consider their choices for the nation’s next leadership.

When asked about a government formation timeline after the election, a spokesperson for Harris suggested November 29 as the likely polling date. However, Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin pointed to both November 29 and December 6 as potential dates.

Schools functioning as polling stations will close on the selected date in light of the election. This last-minute announcement has raised concerns among parents who will need to arrange childcare.

Harris expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming campaign, stating, “I’m looking forward to the weeks ahead. This is a great country with vast potential. We have the resources and policies to make progress on a wide range of issues.”

In the midst of election preparations, Harris will travel to Budapest on Friday for a meeting with EU leaders. Discussions will centre around the Middle East conflict, the safety of Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon, and the results of the U.S. presidential election.

Schools in Ireland closed twice in 2024 for polling purposes: on March 8 for the Family and Care referendums and on June 7 for local and European elections. As a standard practice, polling stations remain open for 12 hours, leading to a full-day closure for schools used as voting sites.