Parliamentary elections in the Republic of Ireland are officially scheduled for Friday 29 November.
Ireland's Prime Minister Simon Harris made the announcement outside the Government House in Dublin on 8 November, the BBC reported.
He said the "time is right" to ask the Irish people for a new mandate for the government.
Harris then headed to the Irish president's residence - Áras an Uachtaráin - to ask President Michael D. Higgins to dissolve the current Dáil (the lower house of the Irish parliament).
According to Irish law, after the dissolution of the Dáil, elections must be held within 30 days.
Announcing the snap election in 3 weeks, Harris addressed the electorate saying that "only you are sovereign".
"You go out and vote and in return you are entitled to good governance and hard work, he said.
Leader of centre-right Fine Gael said the coalition government - made up of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil (the country's republican party) and the Green Party - had made "real progress" and thanked its coalition partners.
"We didn't agree on all the issues but we always worked hard and together for the good of the Irish people. We have many assets, but no asset is more valuable than our people," he added.
Harris went on to say that Ireland is "a small country with a big influence around the world".
The Taoiseach said that over the next three weeks the parties would be looking at alternative mandates for Ireland's future and it was "vital" that an election was held to consider different "visions for the economic and social future of our country".
Harris also called for the election to be a "safe and respectful campaign" for politicians and their teams.
"Finally, I just want one thing from the Irish people: 'Value your vote, use your vote'. That's how this country works, that's how we listen, that's how we act on your behalf," he said.
Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Shin Fáin (Republican and Social Democrat) have already sworn against a coalition ahead of the general election.
Speaking at a press conference on 8 November, Michael Martin, the leader of Fianna Fáil, said it was not certain that his party would enter government with Fiene Gayle again.
He said his party would campaign independently.
"Debate is the lifeblood of democracy and elections. I look forward to the debates because the government will present its priorities, its policies, as we did in the last election. "We have a multi-party system or proportional representation system, it gives us good diversity. I am not going to predict anything, the dynamics of the campaign will take over," he added.
Mr Martin also said his party would campaign on its own merits.
Mr Martin said Shinn Fain had ruled out working with Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gale, and they had similarly ruled out working with them.
At her campaign launch in central Dublin, Shinn Fane leader Mary Lou MacDonald said there was an "opportunity for change" from the ruling parties.
She added that her party was the only option for voters who wanted a government without Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.
She said her party's preference would be for a left-wing coalition government.
At this general election, the number of TDs (MPs) seeking election and the number of constituencies will increase after the 2023 review.
There are currently 43 Dáil constituencies - four more than 2020 - which will elect between three and five TDs each.
A total of 174 TDs will be elected, meaning 88 will be needed to form a majority government.
A further 14 TDs will enter the Dáil after the general election.
The coalition government in the Republic of Ireland is made up of three harpies - Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party.
Voters last went to the polls in February 2020, where Fianna Fáil won the most seats (38).
However, the party failed to achieve a majority and entered into negotiations with Fiene Gayle, who headed the then government, and the Green Party.
4 months later, after being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, a coalition agreement was reached in June 2020.
As part of this, the role of Minster was to be swapped between Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gale midway through the five-year term - with Harris currently holding the top post.
Shin Fein, who recorded a historic result in the 2020 election after winning 37 seats, currently lead the opposition.
A number of other parties, such as Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit, Aontu (a Conservative party) and independents, also make up the opposition
A number of other parties, such as Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit, Aontu (a Conservative party) and independents, also make up the opposition.
"Go ahead" was the message from MacDonald, who launched her constituency campaign in a Dublin city centre hotel on 7 November.
She set out her party's strategy for the forthcoming election and built her campaign around seven key areas, including building additional housing, fixing the health service, childcare, universal health credit and uniting Ireland.
She says she wants to build a left-wing coalition and remove Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil from the equation.
The fiery exchanges during the last Dáil meeting gave a glimpse of what voters can expect over the next 3 weeks.
It is very often the case that the position parties are in at the start of an election campaign is not necessarily the position they will be in at the end.
In 2020, Shin Fein was in the same position - third in the polls - but then became the most popular party when all the votes were counted. | BGNES
