February election ‘ideal’, Martin says as he confirms no by-elections will be held before then

A general election now looks more likely to take place in spring than in November after Tánaiste Micheál Martin said February would be an “ideal date to hold it”.
Mr Martin, the Fianna Fáil leader, also confirmed that no by-elections will be held before the election, irrespective of the date it is held.
He said that the Government has received legal advice that it would not be sustainable to hold a by-election immediately before the general election.
There are four vacancies in the Dáil following the elections of Michael McNamara (independent); Barry Cowen (Fianna Fáil); Aodhán Ó Riordáin (Labour); and Kathleen Funchion (Sinn Féin) to the European Parliament. They all resigned their Dáil seats on July 16th, meaning a writ for the by-election can be moved no later than January 16th.
As a by-election must take place within 18 to 25 days of the writ being moved (excluding Sundays and bank holidays), it would mean that the by-election would have to be held on February 15th.
The Fianna Fáil leader was speaking at his parliamentary party “think-in” which is being held in Killiney, Co Dublin on Monday.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman meanwhile said he expects to be consulted by Taoiseach Simon Harris about the timing of the general election before any such decision is made.
The Green Party is holding its own annual think-in today in Dublin.
Mr O’Gorman was asked whether he would expect to be consulted as a matter of course about the timing of an election, amid speculation that it could be called after the forthcoming budget on October 1st.
“Obviously, the Constitution is clear. It’s a matter ultimately for the Taoiseach but I would expect to be consulted in terms of a final date but those discussions, those conversations, haven’t happened yet.”
Asked if he has a personal preference for the timing of a general election, he said he has previously stated that he would like the Government to go full term.
“There are pieces of legislation that we’d like to see passed, the Marine Planning Bill, a piece of work in my own department in terms of allowing women who’ve been seriously ill during that maternity leave to defer that maternity leave.
“So there are important laws that we agreed to achieve within the Programme for Government that we still have to get over the line. Not too many, because we’ve done a huge amount of work over four years. We’ve delivered very significantly but there are some remaining pieces that we’d like to get over the line.”
Asked about the date of the general election, Mr Martin responded that he wanted the Government to go full term and for him, “full term is February”.
He said: “There’s a lot of hot air going on now. I think all of those people who were briefing (the media) that it was 15th of November are now the same people briefing you that it would be Valentine’s Day.”
Asked specifically if the by-elections would be held he said he did not think so. “Simply put, if you were to hold a by-election in December or in January, with a general election immediately in the aftermath, my understanding is that the legal advice would sustain that proposition (of not holding a by-election).
“I don’t see anything by-elections happening before the next general election. And I’ve been insistent in terms of saying February would be an ideal date to hold it.”