Updated 42 minutes ago

The Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) is expected to ask Irish President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the current Dáil (lower house of the Irish parliament) later.

Under Irish law, once the Dáil is dissolved, an election must be held within 30 days.

Earlier this week, Simon Harris indicated a preference for a polling day in the Republic of Ireland general election on 29 November.

He is the leader of Fine Gael and leads a coalition government with Fianna Fáil and the Green Party.

Harris, who is attending a summit in Hungary, will return to Dublin on Friday afternoon to make a statement at government buildings.

The Taoiseach will then travel to the President’s residence – Áras an Uachtaráin – to demand that Higgins dissolve the Dáil.

On Thursday, the politicians who make up the 33rd Dáil met for the last time before the snap election.

A general election must be called in the Republic of Ireland before the mandate ends in March 2025.

The Taoiseach has faced persistent questions about the timing of the election for months, having previously sidestepped requests to provide a definitive timeline.

However, on Wednesday he expressed hope for a polling day on November 29, saying: “Here’s clarity.”

He went on to say: “I look forward to the coming weeks and to asking the people of Ireland for a mandate.”

The coalition government agreed not to call an election until the finance bill passed, which passed tax cuts that harnessed excess corporation tax revenue from global technology and pharmaceutical groups.

Three parties – Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and The Green Party – form the coalition government in the Republic of Ireland.

Voters last went to the polls in February 2020, where Fianna Fáil, led by Micheál Martin, won the most seats (38).

But the party fell short of a majority and entered into negotiations with Fine Gael, which led the government at the time, and the Green Party.

As part of the deal, the taoiseach role was to be swapped between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael halfway through the five-year term.

Sinn Féin, which recorded a historic result in the 2020 election after winning 37 seats, currently leads the opposition.

A number of other parties such as Labour, Social Democrats, People Before Profit, Aontú and independents also form the opposition.