The Taoiseach has said he does not feel under pressure to hold a general election on the date mooted by his coalition colleague.
Simon Harris said he has no problem with Roderic O’Gorman telling reporters he thinks the election should be held on November 29, saying the Green Party leader is entitled to his opinion.
Mr Harris rejected assertions that Mr O’Gorman “went behind his back” by putting forward a suggested election date, with the Fine Gael leader repeating his comments from the weekend that there will be a general election this year.
A poll must be held before March 22 2025.
Taoiseach Simon Harris said Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman is entitled to his opinion (Niall Carson/PA)
Mr Harris will meet his fellow coalition leaders, Fianna Fail’s Micheal Martin and Mr O’Gorman, later on Monday to discuss the election date.
Asked about Mr O’Gorman’s comments on Friday, Mr Harris said: “It was certainly very upfront and I have no difficulty with that. People are absolutely entitled to give their opinion, and most importantly coalition leaders are absolutely entitled to their opinion and their view.
“The Government has worked cohesively, and what I define as evidence of that is the fact that a Government of three parties has managed to deliver five Budgets, has managed to find a Programme for Government that we could all pull together.
“Of course, we have different areas of emphasis and different policies, and that’s very healthy, but we have a joint Programme for Government, which I’m really proud of, actually, that we’ve managed to work our way through together over the last number of years.
“Even even as things change through the leaders, Mr O’Gorman in his role and myself in my role, we’ve still managed to keep the show on the road in terms of that policy agenda.
“There’s no great mystery in relation to this. Let me try to be helpful… I mean, there’s going to be a general election this year, and the Government is going to conclude its work. It’s going to do that in an orderly manner.”
The Taoiseach said he wants to see some key pieces of outstanding legislation passed before he seeks the dissolution of the Dail, and also wants his Government to set in place new house-building targets for 2025.
He added: “I do agree with Minister O’Gorman on the need to actually provide a sense of clarity on this. There’s no issue with that at all.
“The specific date, without being in any way prickly about it, is obviously a matter for me under the Constitution, and I take that seriously.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris and Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman will meet later to discuss the election date, along with fellow coalition partner, Fianna Fail’s Micheal Martin (Niall Carson/PA)
Asked if he feels under pressure to hold the election on November 29, Mr Harris said: “Pressure is for tyres, there’s lots of pressure in politics.
“I certainly didn’t feel that at all. I think I’ve quite clear in my public commentary for many weeks now, as have others, in relation to finishing the work that is under way, that’s important.
“I’m not going to get into the speculation of the day of the election, because obviously you will all start narrowing it down even further and I have to keep some small element of surprise for you in the days ahead.”
Mr Harris said his party will contest the election as a standalone political party, and will not go into the election with a transfer pact among the coalition parties.
“But, having said that, the public don’t need or wish their politicians to tell them what to do with their votes, particularly their second, third and fourth preference. That is a matter for the people,” he added.
“But as night follows day, it is entirely possible, if not probable, that if people think this Government’s doing a good job, they may wish to vote in that manner. That is for them to decide.
“I think this Government has worked well together. We are three different parties. It’s been built on mutual respect. It’s been built on policy.”
Mr O’Gorman said: “On Friday, I gave a view as the Green Party leader as to what I thought would be a good date.
“As the leader of my party, I reserve the right to uphold the view on behalf of my party, and I was expressing that in terms of questions about certainty that I’ve been hearing as I’ve been on the doors in recent weeks.
“I think that that potential date, should it be the one, allows us to undertake the work on the Finance Bill pieces this week, hate crime legislation, maternity protection leave, allowing women who get sick during their maternity leave to defer their leave – important pieces of legislation like that – and allows us to get them finished.”