Varadkar confirms general election in Ireland

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar will formally request that President Michael Higgins dissolve parliament before a general election next month, he said on Tuesday. Varadkar said he had informed his Cabinet that he would ask the president to dissolve the lower house, also known as the Dáil. He later posted a video on Twitter outlining what he sees as his achievements in power.

In a news conference he said: "We've made some good progress since I've become (prime minister)" he said. “But it's not enough and I know it's not enough, people expect and want their government to do much more and I want us do much more.'' The election is likely to revolve around the issues of health and housing. Ireland is struggling with a housing crisis and has faced hospital overcrowding.