Prime Minister Brian Cowen will dissolve the parliament on Tuesday and set the date of a general election, the country's public broadcaster RTE said on Friday.

In an interview with RTE, Cowen said he supported the call from his successor, Micheal Martin that all party leaders should have television debates during the general election campaign.

Cowen resigned as leader of the ruling Fianna Fail party (Republican Party) last week, after his attempted cabinet reshuffle was blocked by the Green Party, which later pulled out of the coalition government.

Former Foreign Minister Martin was elected as the new leader of Fianna Fail on Wednesday.

Martin has challenged the other main party leaders to a series of televised debates during the election campaign.

He wrote to Fine Gael party (United Ireland Party) leader Enda Kenny and Labor party leader Eamon Gilmore, suggesting at least five debates to be broadcast on RTE, TV3, TG4 and other channels in the run-up to polling day.

"There is an onus on all parties to put forward their plans for the country so the electorate can decide who best to lead them," Cowen said.

Meanwhile, the Finance Bill went to the Seanad (upper house of parliament) Friday morning. It passed all stages in the Dail (lower house of parliament) Thursday.

All the parties have agreed that the Dail can meet again Saturday evening if flaws in the legislation are identified.

The bill, published last Friday, will give statutory effect to the changes announced in 2011 budget under the 85-billion-euro EU/IMF bailout deal.

The election date was previously set by Cowen for March 11, but opposition parties urged Cowen to bring forward the election to February.