MARY LOU MCDONALD has defended her party’s candidate choice for the Dublin Central byelection, as Janice Boylan falls behind in the tallies.

The Sinn Féin leader said the Dáil seat, left vacant by former finance minister Paschal Donohoe, is still to play for, despite projections that Social Democrats candidate Daniel Ennis will win.

The full tally has Ennis out in front on 20% and Boylan of Sinn Féin on 18%. 

Janet Horner of the Greens is on 11%, just ahead of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch and Fine Gael’s Ray McAdam.

Mary Lou McDonald with Janice Boylan Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Asked about Boylan’s projected performance, McDonald said:

“I’ve seen a full tally. There are a couple of hundred votes in it, in respect of ourselves and Daniel Ennis … and then there are literally thousands of votes to be transferred, so I’m going to hold a final comment on that.”

“We’re very, very strong in Dublin Central” says Mary Lou McDonald as she arrives at the Galway West count centre in Salthill with Mark Lohan, Pearse Doherty and Mairéad Farrell. pic.twitter.com/191Su8CNq1

— TheJournal Politics (@TJ_Politics) May 23, 2026

McDonald said Sinn Féin is “very very strong” in Dublin Central, her home constituency.

“That continues to be the case.

“But, like with anything, it’s not uncontested in the political space.”

She added: “Of course, I would prefer us to win the seat.”

McDonald said party members chose Boylan, she ran a strong campaign, and “I want to thank and commend her for all her work”.

Boylan is a long-standing councillor in the constituency and was selected to run alongside McDonald in the general election in 2024, however, she was unsuccessful in winning a seat. 

For the byelection, Boylan was chosen by party members over Gillian Sherratt, who was a long-time campaigner for answers on the timeline of her son’s care and why a decision was made to remove him from a spinal surgery waitlist. Harvey had the surgery in 2024, but he sadly passed away last summer.

A contest for the ballot slot is somewhat unusual in the party and it is believed there was unhappiness from some party members that a candidate has been “parachuted” in.

Find the latest developments in the byelection on our liveblog.