Putting up Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar posters in his constituency in Dublin on the day he announces he is to seek dissolution of the 32nd Dáil for a general election. Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced the Irish general election 2020 for Saturday, February 8. 

The Irish leader traveled to Áras an Uachtaráin on Tuesday afternoon to ask President Michael D. Higgins to dissolve the Dáil (Irish parliament) which will remain closed over the course of the three-week campaign before the public head to the polls.  

This is the first time that a general election will take place on a Saturday, something the Taoiseach claimed he hoped would help parents, students and those living away from home. He also described the February 8 date as a "window of opportunity" before the next European Council meeting in March. 

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"We have a deal on Brexit and Northern Ireland. Our economy has never been stronger; there are more people in work than ever before, incomes are rising, poverty is falling and the public finances are back in order," Varadkar said on Tuesday as he announced the election date.

"As a nation, we have every reason to be hopeful and positive about the future."

The date has been criticized by some, however, as it comes a week before the new electoral register becomes valid on February 15, excluding many young voters who would have been able to cast their ballot for the first time and those who registered to vote in the past eight months. 

While the election date was speculated for some time, the short campaign began with fury on Tuesday with candidates making the most of the three-week period they have to canvas voters, in what is set to be an extremely close election. 

Fine Gael currently leads a minority coalition government supported by independent members and backed by main opposition party Fianna Fáil who made a formal agreement to abstain on matters of confidence and supply.

Early opinion polls show Varadkar's Fine Gael to be slightly ahead although local elections last week suggest Fianna Fáil are making some headway. 

Read more: Northern Ireland Assembly finally returns after a three-year absence

Here is how the main Irish political parties started out their campaigns:

Who do you think will come out on top in general election 2020? Let us know in the comments section, below.