An Taoiseach Enda Kenny this morning confirmed that the general election will take place on Friday, February 26. The Taoiseach made the announcement this morning in the Dáil before he departed to go to Aras an Uachtarain to ask President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the 31st Dáil.
An Taoiseach also released a video announcing his decision on Twitter this morning at 10am announcing the decision.
I am seeking a dissolution of Dáil Éireann today with the election to be held on February 26th.https://t.co/R5JnwC3XFB
— Enda Kenny (@EndaKennyTD ) February 3, 2016
There are currently five sitting TDs in Mayo, but that number will be reduced to four after the next election with large parts of south Mayo being subsumed by the new Galway West constituency. Sitting Mayo TD John O'Mahony will contest the election in Galway West with the four remaining TDs, Enda Kenny, Michael Ring, Dara Calleary and Michelle Mulherin all looking to retain their seats.
At the moment there are 13 declared candidates for the election in three weeks time, with Sinn Fein's Cllr Rose Conway Walsh, Fianna Fái's Cllr Lisa Chambers, Independent's Jerry Cowley, Gerry O'Boyle, Peter Jordan, George O'Malley, Renua's Michael Farrington, The Green Party's Margaret Sheehan and the Anti AusteritY Alliance's Tom Moran all contesting the election.
