Donohoe: General Election will be in 2016

The Transport and Tourism Minister Paschal Donohoe is dismissing the prospect of an early general election.

It follows speculation that the Government is considering going to the polls next year before its term of office ends.

The Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has also called on Fine Gael and Labour to call an election, claiming that they have lost their mandate.

However, Mr Donohoe says he strongly believes the election will not take place until the spring of 2016.

Minister Donohoe, who was speaking at the launch of tourism campaign for 2015, says visitors to Ireland next year will not be faced with election posters.

He said: "No I don't, I believe they (tourists) are going to have enough excitement by coming to things like the Wild Atlantic Way, Dublin and elsewhere in the country, without having the excitement of a general election campaign to wet their appetite.

"I strongly believe that the general election will be at some point in the spring of 2016."