Dáil may sit through Christmas break

THE Dáil may sit through most of the Christmas holidays to push through budget measures in time to meet Green Party demands for a January general election.

The Taoiseach indicated a March election was likely — defying calls made by his junior coalition partners on Monday to hold it in the third or fourth week of the year.

Brian Cowen said the Finance Bill — giving legal effect to the budget — is likely to be passed in February giving way for a three-week election campaign.