Fine Gael sources told the paper that Taoiseach Leo
Varadkar had hinted at the date as he didn’t want a winter election. However,
the decision will ultimately be a joint process between Varadkar and the other
government leaders, Micheál Martin and Eamon Ryan.
The latest the next general election can be held is
March of 2025, five years on from the 2020 general election which saw Sinn Féin
dominate for the first time, while Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil struggled.
The same article claimed Varadkar wanted to negotiate
a pact with Fianna Fáil and the Greens to encourage voters in the next election
to transfer between them.