Party’s leadership struck a note of defiance at its ardfheis in Athlone this weekend, predicting it would perform strongly in the general election
Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald is greeted by finance spokesman Pearse Doherty at the party's ardfheis in Athlone: Photograph: Niall Carson/PA WireMatt Carthy, who can always be relied upon to barnstorm the hall, set the tone during his exhortation to delegates in Athlone.think that they are going to waltz back into government propped up by Fianna Fáil and Independents,” the Cavan–Monaghan TD told them.
So where is Sinn Féin at this moment in time? It is doing somewhat better than its poor support levels in June but it has not recovered the heady levels of support it was enjoying this time last year. Mary Lou McDonald’s keynote address set it out. On the one hand, she said, racism is repulsive and must be opposed.
There was also the unflagged announcement by McDonald in her speech that the party will remove the means test for carers if in government. It could cost anything between €400 million and €2 billion annually, depending on which estimate you believe. In her speech, McDonald also disclosed the party would establish a new Minister of State for Reunification in the Taoiseach’s office. That is hardly a surprise.
The public polling suggests Sinn Féin will struggle to regain the lost ground. Plus Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil will transfer heavily to each other unlike in 2020.Mary Lou McDonald’s hope of pulling off another Lazarus act is not great. Sinn Féin’s confidence is rattledMOST READ‘More like a palace than a house’: Locals join dig at ruins of Guinness mansion in Dublin
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