Election performance not a setback for reunification, says Sinn Féin

By David Young, PA

Sinn Féin leaders have insisted their party’s performance in Ireland’s General Election is not a setback for the campaign for Irish reunification.

Party leader Mary Lou McDonald had vowed to deliver a step change in the drive for constitutional change if Sinn Féin entered government and she became taoiseach.

The odds of either of those scenarios coming to pass following Friday election now look extremely slim, with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael expected to re-enter another coalition government in Dublin, leaving Sinn Féin facing another five years as the Dáil’s main opposition party.

Fianna Fáil won 48 seats in the election, with Sinn Féin taking 39 and Fine Gael securing 38.

Fianna Fáil also took the most first preference votes in the proportional representation election, securing 21.9% to Fine Gael’s 20.8%.

Sinn Féin came in third on 19%.

While Sinn Féin’s vote share represented a marked improvement on its disappointing showing in June’s local elections in Ireland, it is still significantly down on the 24.5% poll-topping share it secured in the 2020 general election.

Ms McDonald and vice-president Michelle O’Neill, who is Northern Ireland’s First Minister, met Sinn Féin’s new-look team of TDs at Leinster House on Wednesday.

Afterwards, they were both asked by reporters if the election result was a setback for their Irish unity project.

“No, far from it,” replied Ms McDonald.

“As a matter of fact, it was interesting during the election campaign the number of parties that set out actually very ambitious targets and ideas around reunification, the democratic conversation. So, far from it. I think it’s still very much game on.”

Ms O’Neill added: “Absolutely, we just now returned with 39 TDs, the largest ever team of Sinn Féin in the Dáil.

“I think that speaks volumes in terms of our project and what we want to achieve.”