LIMERICK is set to go to the polls today (Friday, November 29) in General Election 2024, an election that was announced just three weeks ago on November 8, but had been well mooted for some time beforehand.
Rumours that an election was set to take place this year started when it was announced that Budget 2025 would be announced three weeks earlier than usual, paving the way for a pre-Christmas election.
Further speculation was driven from eagle-eyed pundits who pointed out that RTÉ’s Late Late Toy Show was announced for December 6, the latest its been televised in the past 20 years.
Across Limerick City and County for the last three weeks, Christmas lights and decorations on the streets have been accompanied by election posters for candidates hoping to be elected in the Limerick City and Limerick County constituencies.
In the Limerick City constituency, a total of 17 candidates are vying for one of four seats – though it is believed that the winners of three of these seats are already a foregone conclusion, and that the real slog will be over who gets the coveted fourth seat.
Sitting TDs Willie O’Dea (Fianna Fáil), Maurice Quinlivan (Sinn Féin), Brian Leddin (Green Party), and Fine Gael’s Kieran O’Donnell will all be hoping to be returned to the 34th Dáil.
In Limerick County, 15 election hopefuls are fighting for one of three seats, with three sitting candidates – Minister for Further and Higher Education Patrick O’Donovan (Fine Gael), Niall Collins (Fianna Fáil), and Independent Ireland’s Richard O’Donoghue – all vying to be re-elected.
Polling booths open across the county from 7am on Friday morning and will close at 10pm, after which they will be transported to the count centre at Limerick Racecourse.
The Limerick Post will be covering the count live across the weekend, stay tuned to limerickpost.ie and our social channels.
