Taoiseach confirms election on 8th February

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has confirmed that the General Election will take place on Saturday 8th February next, the first election on a Saturday since 1918.

He made the announcement on the steps of Government buidling this afternoon following a cabinet meeting, and will travel to Aras an Uachtaran later to seek the dissolution of the Dail by President Michael D Higgins.

Candidates so far confirmed in Meath are: Meath West - Deputy Damien English, Cllr Noel French and Cllr Sarah Reilly for Fine Gael, Deputy Shane Cassells for Fianna Fail, Deputy Peadar Toibin for Aontu, Cllr Johnny Guirke, Sinn Fein, Cllr Ronan Moore, Social Democrats, Dr Seamus McMenamin for the Green Party, and Seamus McDonagh of the Workers Party.
Cllr Emer Toibin confirmed this morning (Tuesday) that she will run for Aontu in Meath East. The line up so far in the east of the county includes Ministers Regina Doherty and Helen McEntee for Fine Gael, Deputy Thomas Byrne and Cllr Deirdre Geraghty Smith for Fianna Fail and Cllr Darren O'Rourke for Sinn Fein. Cllr Sharon Keogan is running as an Independent candidate, while the Green Party has nominated Sean McCabe.