Micheál Martin Shortens To Replace Varadkar As Taoiseach

Fianna Fáil are the favourites to pick up most seats as Irish voters learned that they will be called to the polls next month.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar made his way to Áras an Uachtaráin on Tuesday to ask President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the Dáil after naming Saturday 8th February as election day in a public address at Government Buildings.

If the odds are anything to go by, Varadkar has his work cut out to stay on as Taoiseach after the vote.

Micheál Martin has been gambled into 8/13 from 8/11 over the last 24 hours to be the Taoiseach after the election,

…with Fianna Fáil 4/6 favourites to return to the Dáil with most seats.

A coalition government involving Fianna Fáil, Social Democrats, Labour and the Green Party is marginally the most likely make up of the next government at 5/4, but it’s just 6/1 for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to pair up again before the new Dáil is summoned on February 20th.

Sinn Féin’s best hopes of playing a part in the new government lie in the 12/1 chance of a coalition with Fianna Fáil despite Micheál Martin’s claim earlier this week that he would not entertain the idea of Sinn Féin in power in the Republic of Ireland.

*Prices correct at time of publication