Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has said he favours holding the general election on a Friday.

It is expected that Taoiseach Enda Kenny will call the election next week for Thursday, February 25th, or Friday, February 26th.

Mr Kelly, who is the party’s director of elections, was asked at a press conference at the Labour gathering in Mullingar if he favoured a Friday to allow students return home to vote.

“I believe elections should always be on a Friday, but that will be decided by the Government,” he replied.

Mr Kelly said while legally he had to move the writ, it was a matter for Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

“After coming through what we have come through in the past five years, I am sure as a Government we are going to agree on a date,” he added.

He declined to say if there would be a joint FG-Labour press conference during the campaign, adding they were very different parties.

Mr Kelly said while Labour was seeking to have the Government re-elected, it would be arguing for its policies which were quite different.

“We are asking people to elect Labour TDs to ensure that in the next government we will have a larger say,” he added.