Taoiseach Enda Kenny must decide to hold the general election within two possible windows - before or after Christmas, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has said.

Speaking at the publication of the exchequer returns for September, Mr Noonan, who is understood to be in favour of a November poll, said Mr Kenny had two options available to him.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin, who was also at the event, has already expressed a preference for the election being held in the spring.

Asked his opinion on when the election should be, Mr Noonan replied “it’s either between now and Christmas or it is after Christmas”.

“The Taoiseach will call it in due course, taking all the relevant factors into account. He is a very good political judge. I’m quite willing on this particular one to let the decision be the Taoiseach’s,” Mr Noonan said.

Asked for his personal opinion on the matter, Mr Noonan replied: “Sure everyone has an opinion. In Ireland, everyone has an opinion.”

All other ministers asked about a date have said the election will be held in 2016 but Mr Noonan declined to do so.

There has been increasing speculation in recent days about the timing of the election.

At a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party earlier this week, Taoiseach Enda Kenny failed to shut down speculation of a November poll.

However, he has previously publicly said the election will be held in spring.

Former minister for the environment Phil Hogan, now Ireland's European Commissioner, this week told Fine Gael activists in Brussels to prepare for an election on November 20th. His comments are understood to have irked Mr Kenny.