The Taoiseach has ruled out entering into coalition with Fianna Fáil after the General Election.

Enda Kenny has also confirmed that the poll will be held next Spring, and not before it.

As part of an interview with Newstalk.com's Pat Kenny show he said he would serve again if that is what the people decide they want.

However, he did provide certainty on any future coalition - Mr. Kenny said Fianna Fáil have themselves ruled out entering into coalition with any other party.

The Taoiseach says he thinks it unlikely that the party will win an overall majority giving them the mandate to lead a government themselves.

And he reaffirmed his support for Labour, repeating his view that Fine Gael and the Labour party provide stability, an opportunity to fix the economy and get people back to work.

Ends Kenny said it will be up to the people to state what they want when they vote:

Bullet-proof Budget

In a wide-ranging interview Taoiseach Enda Kenny also defended Finance Minister Michael Noonan's Budget, saying his government is "on track" to eliminate the deficit by 2018.

In response to former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who said the government should be ridiculed in the way he was ridiculed for giveaway Budgets announced during a period of surplus he said: "It is a very different kind of Budget than what the then Taoiseach Ahern introduced."

"From the end of 2014 out to 2016 growth will be about 18%, taxation will a 14% increase but expenditure is only a 4.5% increase so it is a very prudent Budget aimed at securing that recovery."

Omeath and Carrickmines tragedies

Seperately, he admitted that our bail laws need revision after the tragic shooting dead of an on-duty garda in Co Louth by a suspected dissident on bail.

He also appealed for consultation with local communities after residents of one south Dublin community blockaded local authority officials attempting to prepare emergency accommodation for travellers made homeless by last weekend's tragic fire.

Listen to the full interview here: