Tánaiste dampens speculation over early general election 

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has poured cold water on speculation of an early general election, insisting the Coalition intends to stick to their commitment to serve a full Dáil term.

The next general election would take place by March next year if the Government is to run its full term. 

However, there has been much recent speculation that a poll could be called before then.

Speaking to the media in Cork today, Mr Martin acknowledged what he described as “the frenzy” in relation to an early general election, but said he is unsure if people understand the logistics behind calling for such a move.

Stability

“I’m a great believer in stability and continuity to ensure good economic decisions and performance,” he said. “In the 1980s there were three elections within 18 months. That experience shaped me into thinking that countries don’t get good decisions or good decisions don’t get made by government if you’re going to have elections every two to three years.”

Mr Martin stressed the importance of Government lasting its full term.

“If we can get into that pattern of behaviour, which we have, by and large, within Ireland in the last 20 years, that makes for good decision making, good environment for economy and for the economic model that we have, so people can make investment decisions based on some sense of consistency of policy and continuity.

“I said last year that we would go full term, we said as recently as some months ago we’d go full term, and that’s the spirit in which that was articulated.”

Focusing

Mr Martin said his view is to “keep focusing on the substance”, which he said is to get things achieved during the Coalition Government’s term.

Speaking about the various bills that are being worked on within Government, Mr Martin said that the minister of state at the Department of Justice, James Browne, has put “enormous work” into the Gambling Regulation Bill and equally, that minister for mental health and older people, Mary Butler, has also put a lot of work into the Mental Health Bill.

“It’s the first time since 2001 that mental health has been reformed in this country. Let’s get it delivered.”

He said that he is hopeful the Planning and Development (An Taisce) Bill will pass through the Dáil this week or next, and described it as “essential for house building and for development of infrastructure”.

He said, however, that the Finance Bill will take time, saying that it cannot be “done just like that”.

“I’m not sure the Oireachtas opposition parties will entertain that either, despite what they might say about bringing on the election.

“I’m not sure that people have looked at the logistics of trying to go early. I am reading all the commentary, all the frenzy about it. I think we need to go through the logistics of that, given my own experience, I’m not so sure it’s as easy as people are suggesting.”