MARY LOU MCDONALD has said that her party’s participation in the presidential election will be a “game changer”. 

Speaking to reporters at the Ploughing Championships today, the Sinn Féin leader kept her cards close to her chest about what her party’s next move will be.

Following a meeting of the party’s Ard Comhairle, an announcement will be made on Saturday. 

Following robust questioning about whether the party will put forward its own candidate, or endorse Independent TD Catherine Connolly, McDonald gave away some clues. 

Asked by Irish language station RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta if the preferred candidate had Gaeilge, McDonald replied in Irish: “Yes, a lot.”

This would appear to rule out First Minister for Northern Ireland Michelle O’Neill who is understood not to have a high level of proficiency in Irish – while Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty and Connolly are fluent.

Connolly – who already claims the backing of the Social Democrats, large parts of the Labour Party and People Before Profit – has said she would welcome the support of Sinn Fein.

At that press conference today, McDonald defended her party’s decision not to announce its intentions until 20 September, stating: 

“Sinn Fein’s participation will be a game changer in this election – it’ll be very much game on.”

Asked what she meant by a “game changer”, McDonald said: “I mean a game changer, Match of Day, Up For the Match.”

She said the campaign did not start until nominations close on 24 September.

“On Saturday, we will set out our position, we’ll set out the logic and the intent of our position,” she said, stating that it is important to have a president who espouses the “values but also the ambitions of Ireland at this point”.

“I think the decision taken by us, we’re a large party, we’re a national party, and a national organisation. I think we’ll be very influential in this contest,” she added. 

She said Sinn Fein had to balance two objectives, to get Fianna Fail and Fine Gael out of government and out of the Áras.

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“That’s what our campaign will aim to do.”

Asked if this meant she would not consider reducing the number of Sinn Fein representatives in the Dáil by selecting a TD as a candidate, McDonald said she had “addressed the issue” in her remarks when she ruled herself out of contention.

She said: “I am keenly conscious that we have made commitments to the Irish people, to sections of society that desperately need effective representation, and to those who believe that we can have government beyond Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, and who see the merit in that and we have to continue that work.”

She added: “For me – I can speak freely about myself – that is my absolute priority.

“I don’t quit on things, I stick with them and I believe the next couple of years are going to be really, really crucial in building confidence across Irish society that a better, stronger, more effective alternative government can be available to people.”