Sinn Féin chiefs disappointed with my grassroots engagement, admits McDonald

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Mary Lou McDonald has revealed that senior figures in Sinn Féin were “disappointed” with her engagement with the party’s base.

Ms McDonald made the admission following a meeting of the party’s ard chomhairle which discussed Sinn Féin’s recent electoral performance.

Asked what the party’s review into its worse-than-expected results in the Republic of Ireland had found about her leadership, Ms McDonald said: “They have told me that they want me to be more firm. They have told me that they want me to be my absolute and authentic self.

“They have told me that they expect me to bring clarity in terms of our policy offerings and they have told me that they expect better engagement with the grassroots.

“And some, even within the kind of the various leadership levels of the party, have said that they also want more access to me, they want me to be more available.

“And I have made the commitments to make all of that happen.”

Ms McDonald said she still enjoys the full confidence and support of the party, north and south.

She also said she would lead the party into the next general election in the Republic of Ireland.

Ms McDonald said she was never “precious about criticism”, and said: “Their main ask of me was to listen, to listen, to listen.

“And if there was a criticism of me, it was this: that I didn’t pay enough attention to what was being said from the base up.

“And they were disappointed in me with that because I’m an activist, I’m a grassroots person.

“So I’ve heard that and I’m going to respond to it.”

Ms McDonald said she accepted those comments as fair.