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SINN FÉIN LEADER Mary Lou McDonald is urging voters who want a change of government to vote for her party in the upcoming general election – but has stressed that she is willing to speak with any other group to form a coalition.
Though insisting that Sinn Féin’s main priority was to win the election, McDonald believes she would be “insulting” the public if she were to rule out speaking to any party after the election.
The party leader was speaking to media outside government buildings in Dublin shortly after Taoiseach Simon Harris called a general election for 29 November. McDonald said her party was ready and were seeking to oust the incumbent government.
“We face into this campaign with spirit, with confidence and with a clear message: After 100 years of Fianna-Fáil-and-Fine-Gael-led governments, vote Sinn Fein to change the government,” she said.
"If Sinn Féin wins, you win"
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) November 8, 2024
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald appeals to the public to vote for her party in the general election #GE2024 pic.twitter.com/J0S5aq5ORq
While a coalition between Sinn Féin and Fine Gael is seen as politically impractical, there are some suggestions the leading opposition party could form a government with Fianna Fáil over its similar social stances and positions on a united Ireland.
However, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin today categorically ruled out a coalition with Sinn Féin over its economic policy proposals – claiming that the party ‘don’t get’ Ireland’s economic model.
McDonald said that the “ideal” outcome for Sinn Féin would be that all of its 71 candidates get elected and that a government is formed without Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
When challenged on whether that meant she was ruling out a coalition with either party, McDonald insisted that she was “willing to speak with everyone” about forming a government after the election.
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil similarly ruled out forming a coalition with Sinn Féin before the previous election in 2020. Today, McDonald said she found that was “insulting” to the public.
“I remember after the last election, people were turning up their noses and saying they wouldn’t speak [to us],” McDonald said. “Apparently, we weren’t good enough, according to them, for people to come and talk to us.
“That landed really badly with the hundreds of thousands of people who voted for Sinn Féin – so I’m not going to insult the citizens and voters by taking a position like that.”
Sinn Féin has been in deep controversy in recent weeks following a number of crisis which were revealed either by the party or the media after months of the party underperforming the polls.
The party has also lost a strong portion of its base in working class communities as voters either disagreed or were detached from its stances on immigration, the economy and the Family and Care referendums earlier this year.
McDonald said she believed that voting for Sinn Féin was the “best chance, in fact I believe, [the] only chance” for voters from working class communities, who may be facing homelessness or contemplating emigrating, to change their situations.
“Did we, at times, make mistakes along the way? Yes, we did – and we got called out on that, as you know, by our by our working class space and that’s fair enough.”
Asked what McDonald would view as a particular mistake, she said it was her party supporting a YesYes vote in the most recent referendums.
She added: “In our case, lessons were learned. We work extremely hard for our communities. Sinn Féin is your option if you want to change the government.
“And the big issue for working people and communities is, can you afford another five years of a Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil-led government? I would say – very strongly – regular people, working class communities, all communities and young people simply can’t.”
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Yay Ireland…
A step in the right direction at least
Anyone else notice that it’s one of the most positive stories of the day but only has 3 comments ?
It’s a nothing auction Kieran.. Extremely small potatoes.
Greece & Portugal have been offering short term bills since they went into their programs.
And we as a nation love our negativity !!
This is a wonderful expression of confidence on the long long road we have all travelled together with some suffering more than others. As economic performance is more frequently associated with positive sentiment lets push the usual Journal naysayers and prophets of doom to one side and together say………….YEAHHHHHHHHHHH GO GO GO IRELAND!
Think there need’s to be a counter balance to the supposed euphoria – Thankfully Constantin has plenty to say on this sale of ‘new’ stamps; rather they are of little value to overall effectiveness of any real bond sale and the effects of this are overrated – more spin I’m afraid.
http://trueeconomics.blogspot.ie/2012/07/372012-curb-your-enthusiasms.html
“The people and the economy can only wax fat and prosperous when their government is starved and puny.” – Murray Rothbard
@martincrettinnnPlease just this once..,,be happy a small step in the right direction and not 5 back as usual!!
Its not even a step be real!
Ahem ahem..I was waiting for the cheer-leading on this -
Now, I recall a certain Minister Bruton, 1 week before the Fiscal Treaty Referendum , stating “we don’t want to have to go to the LOAN SHARKS that are the Bond Markets ” !!!!!!!
And now we are supposed to celebrate going to the loan sharks again!?!? Just shows you the Crap that politicians will spin in an attempt to bully/ frighten people!!
I’d like to understand the rational behind the red thumbs!!???? I just highlighted a FACTUAL piece!
The mind boggles
Like his other quote best when referring to the State as – “a gang of thieves writ large” – no truer word said when considering the payment of bondholders over the welfare of the countries inhabitants and the forced nature in bringing about the household charge.
Yes. We should just try surviving on words and fresh air.
It’s the wrong words – uttered by so called intellectuals – that ruined this countries prospects in the first place – so we best watch the ones we use! So really where are you heading with such brief comment
If we had chosen not to honour the debts we have taken on, the welfare of the most vulnerable or our citizens would have been the most severely impacted.
All you have to offer to replace the money we have been lent is words and fresh air.
I’d like to return to the markets with a shrunken senior civil service sector; that way the markets would understand the country has its fiscal priorities in order -and then lend us the dosh!!!
Ahh nice one Ireland back to the markets, what are they selling, fruit & veg, clothes ???, ah sure its probably that cheap booze centra were trying to sell.
Do people want to return to the markets with a bloated public sector? We will still be under savage budgets to keep the lemmings overpaid.
If the government is fully funded until next year why on earth are they making this mickey mouse play?
To prove they can. Until now, they couldn’t. The yields may also change on the day, up or down, depending on sentiment. So it is a useful exercise.
Ireland will make it – I ALWAYS believed it! Irish are amazing in surviving and getting the head up again! YOU GO EIRE!!!!
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