THE new Dail will convene on Thursday, June 26th, the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, said as he announced the dissolution of the 27th Fail in Leinster House. In a brief sitting there was much banter and joking as Mr Bruton finally announced the date of the election, Friday, June 6th.

The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, thanked the Taoiseach for "finally putting everybody out of their misery" by calling the election, and he described the years of the rainbow coalition as an "aberration".

Ms Mary Harney, the Progressive Democrats leader, said that "politics is on trial over the next three weeks and it behoves everybody to behave in a responsible manner". Ms Harney was referring to speculation about the campaign being "personalised" and "dirty". She added that she was proud to be the first woman to lead a political party in a general election campaign.

Both opposition leaders appealed to the electorate to come out and cast their votes.

Almost all the 166 TDs in the current Fail turned up for the final session just after 11.45 a.m. when the Taoiseach, reading from a script, said: "I wish to inform the House as a matter of courtesy that I am proceeding immediately to advise the President pursuant to Article 13 of the Constitution to dissolve Fail Eireann and sum up the incoming Fail to meet at 3 p.m. on Thursday, 26th June 1997."

Mr Bruton wished the Ceann Comhairle, Mr Sean Treacy, and the other retiring TDs "a very happy and healthy future. I wish all other members well in their endeavours to return to the House. Go neirigh libh go leir i bhur gcuid farrachtai."

Mr Ahern thanked the Taoiseach "for finally putting everybody out of their misery and getting on with this general election. We've waited a long time for it and I think it is for the people to give their verdict on what has been an aberration for two and a bit years, with the Government we've had to deal with.

"I sincerely believe that it is a good day's work, Taoiseach, that you've decided to put your hands up and to go to the people." There was much jeering, however, when Mr Ahern added: "I think the sad epitaph of this rainbow Government will be, `Here lies the rainbow, red, white and blue, which worked for itself, but never for you'."

The Fianna Fail leader said he personally wished everybody well. "It's a difficult three weeks for everybody, for their friends, for their family, for their supporters, for their organisations and their voters and I wish them all personally well."

He also paid tribute to the retiring TDs and thanked them "for all of the service they've given to the Irish people. I consider them all colleagues regardless of their political allegiance."

"I would like to say particularly to the Irish electorate that many countries in the world still fight for the vote and people in this country fought for long enough for it, and I hope that, regardless of what way they vote, that they use the opportunity of June 6th to cast their vote."

He said that "Fianna Fail confidently go before the people with our policies and our candidates to seek a mandate to lead this country into the 21st century". Only the opposition benches applauded his speech.

The Progressive Democrats leader also picked up the theme of the 21st century and said that the election was about "choosing a government that will take us into the 21st century and it's important that we have a decisive result".

"It's important that the voters look carefully at the choices. We do not wish to have a return to the early 1980s when one or two people held enormous clout and were able to exert very expensive deals from the government of the day."

Ms Harney appealed to the public "to look at the choices, to think only in terms of choosing a government and to exercise the franchise. That is very important."

Calling on all candidates to behave "responsibly" she said the general election was about issues and ideas and values and about nothing else. "So I hope that we concentrate on dealing with the real issues that confront our people - the penal levels of tax on work, high unemployment, the two tier society and nothing else."

Ms Harney said that although she did not want the Taoiseach to return to office she wished him well in the election campaign.

Then the Ceann Comhairle ended the proceedings, saying: "Anois ta an Fail ar athlo sine die." As he made his last comment as presiding officer of the Fail, he said: "I bid you all a fond farewell, Slan agus beannacht le gach uile." Mr Treacy received a sustained standing ovation from all the TDs.