Pressure mounts on Varadkar to call snap election 'in next few days'

With Brexit stalled due to the EU's granting of a 'flextension' and an early general election looming in the UK, Fine Gael sources say there is now a 50-50 chance there'll be an election under way in Ireland by the weekend.

Fine Gael TD and former EU affairs minister Dara Murphy broke ranks yesterday to publicly declare that now is the right time for Mr Varadkar to go to the country. He joined the many ministers and Fine Gael TDs who are privately pressuring the Taoiseach to call a snap poll, with November 29 the most likely date.

Party sources said that preparations for an election were "very advanced" with the manifesto and staffing arrangements almost finalised. One of Mr Varadkar's top advisers, John Carroll, is spearheading preparations.

Some Fine Gael candidates have been receiving their orders for election posters.

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Last night Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin said that Mr Varadkar may feel that a December general election in the UK gives him time to hold one here. He claimed Fine Gael will try to make the election about Brexit to distract from "their failure to adequately address the crisis in healthcare, the lack of affordable housing and the rising cost of living".

Fine Gael TD Mr Murphy - who is not running for re-election - confirmed that he believed now is the right time for an election. He said: "Certainly if the Taoiseach was to say now is the time to go I can see a strong argument for that because there is very little now that will be happening in Brussels and very little in the UK apart from holding their general [election]."

Mr Murphy said the expected election in the UK and the changeover in the leadership of EU institutions in December present an opportunity for a general election here.

The Irish Independent reported earlier this week that many Fine Gael Cabinet ministers privately favour a snap election in November. One minister said yesterday there is now space for a November election. Another minister has told Government advisers: "The window is closing fast for Leo - but it's still ajar."

Meanwhile, junior minister Andrew Doyle said he didn't know if there would be an election but said he was ready if it happens. "I'd say it's 50-50," he said.

Speaking privately, a Fine Gael backbench TD said that a "three-month window of opportunity" has been created by the Brexit extension to the end of January.

The TD said their own sense is that the decision will be made by the weekend. That's because the writ to hold four by-elections on November 29 is to be moved next week. This would close off the possibility of a general election. "There's a 50-50 chance at this moment that we'll have a general election under way by the weekend," the TD added.

Another Fine Gael TD said: "The argument about having an election in November being a national sabotage has slipped. If we wait until May we will be taking our eye off the ball." A different backbench TD warned if the election is in 2020 Fine Gael will be at the "whim of Fianna Fáil or Sinn Féin" which could table a potential no-confidence motion. Another Fine Gael deputy said they would have preferred it if Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin had agreed to a May 2020 election as proposed by Mr Varadkar, but failing that "now would be an opportune time".

Not all Fine Gael members contacted were in favour of a general election next month.

Fine Gael TD Noel Rock said it was "not in the national interest" to have an election this year and the Brexit deal should be ratified first.

Another TD said there's still "absolute confusion" in Britain and Brexit should be "tied up" before an election here.

If Mr Varadkar decides to call an election he will ask President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the Dáil. In cases where a Taoiseach does not have the support of a majority of TDs, the President can refuse to dissolve the Dáil.