Lenihan backtracks on bill timetable

THE general election will be held sooner than March 11, according to Finance Minister Brian Lenihan who left open the possibility of passing the Finance Bill by Friday.

He will meet opposition spokespeople today to discuss their demands to pass the Finance Bill in the next five days, meaning the Dáil will be dissolved by the weekend and an election held before the end of February.

Announcing his bid for the Fianna Fáil leadership yesterday morning, Mr Lenihan said it was not a “feasible proposition” to pass the bill — which gives legal effect to the budget — by the end of the week.