“My intention is to have the general election in the spring of 2016 and I see no reason to change that”, Kenny said in an interview with state broadcaster RTE.
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“I have been consistently very clear on this”.
“It’s hard to take the Taoiseach seriously when he said he “never changed his mind” on the timing of the election”.
Mr Kenny insisted that he has always been consistent in his position that the election should be held in the spring – despite days of intense speculation surrounding a November poll.
It is puzzling that Mr Kenny, with his long experience – and surrounded as he is by so many strategists – should choose the twilight phase of a generally stable first term as Taoiseach to go weak at the knees.
The election date frenzy led to tensions, not just between the coalition parties, but also among Fine Gael Ministers and backbenchers who had been led to believe that the election would be held in November. Yes, we will have different programmes.
Political Editor with the Sunday Business Post Pat Leahy says concern’s mounting in the Labour camp in particular:”He said it that the election would be in 2016 twice in the speech on the Fennelly commission report in the Dáil, that was three weeks ago and he hasn’t said it since”.
He spoke of the need to continue infrastructural investment, particularly in the Dublin region as the population expands.
However, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin accused the Taoiseach of being forced into a humiliating climbdown by his Coalition partners.
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Spectacle Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said Mr Kenny should call an election now and face the voters.
