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MARY LOU MCDONALD has said there are “multiple people” capable of leading Sinn Féin as she rules out a presidential bid next year.
Speaking to The Journal in a wide-ranging interview, the Sinn Féin leader said:
“As regards the presidential election, I have given no thought really at all to who or what, or who the runners and riders might be. I’ll tell you this much though, whoever fills the shoes of Michael D [Higgins]. There’s big shoes to fill there.”
When asked if she might be interested in filling them, she replied:
“No, no. I’m in my own boots. No, no, that’s not on my horizon.”
When put to her that her name has been speculated upon in political circles, she replied: “oh, I know.”
The Sinn Féin leader said the party is currently reflecting on the general election result, stating that it is customary for the party to carry out a review after each election as to what went right and what went wrong.
The party has taken 39 seats in the next Dáil, which McDonald said is a “big result” for the party.
But she acknowledges that it is not where the party would have wanted to be.
“Reflecting on it, we were in very challenging circumstances in the run into the election. So I think a lot of people thought that we were going to suffer losses, that we were going to have a really bad campaign.
“That didn’t happen. I mean, we gathered ourselves. I think we ran a very good, very positive campaign. I certainly enjoyed it,” she said.
However, she added:
“We fell short. I want us to be in government, like that hasn’t changed at all, at all. It’s just now clear that it’s going to take a bit more time than we had hoped.”
Is she the leader to get them there though?
It is no secret that McDonald and her leadership has come under pressure in recent months. The party faced down a series of controversies just weeks out from the election, with the party also plummeting in the polls in recent months.
The pressure on McDonald has led to a question mark over her future leadership of the party, despite the Sinn Féin leader stating that she plans to stick around for another five years as leader.
Asked about leadership ambitions within her own party, she told The Journal she doesn’t see such ambitions as a threat.
“I can see multiple people who, one day, would be more than capable of leading this party. Absolutely. That’s the way it should be,” she said.
McDonald said one of the key pieces of being a leader is that you should always look for excellence.
“I mean, ideally, you should surround yourself with people who are better than you. Like you want your best performers. You want people who want to make progress, you want people who want to get on and I would never regard that as a threat. I’m actually really, really comfortable with that,” McDonald said.
The party leader said she would be “more worried” if she was surrounded by people who didn’t care or were mediocre.
Of course, “at some point”, there will be a change in party leadership, she acknowledged, telling The Journal:
Nobody’s going to be in a job forever.
“So of course, you have to keep an eye. If you look at our benches now, we have lots of younger TDs that have come in. That really, really matters,” said McDonald, adding that it is “not just the leader, it’s the whole team” that counts.
“You have to always be looking to the next opportunity, the next general election, making room for people, making room for women,” she added.
Hitting out at Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael joining forces again to form the next government, McDonald is particularly critical of the two larger parties speaking to Independent TD Michael Lowry.
Given that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is relying on Independent TDs to prop up the next government, McDonald is skeptical as to whether the next government will last the full term.
“I’ve said this to our parliamentary party, don’t now think you’re going to go off and snooze and that it’s going to be five years. It might be. It also might not be five years. Because this is politics. This is about events,” McDonald said.
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I always found this to be a patronising & divisive way of being ‘qualified’ to elect such esteemed “leaders”. Yes, I DO have a vote but I’ve never availed of it…… Quite pompous that I’m somewhat more entitled to vote than any of my school mates that studied the trades or wet straight into employment.archaic system that needs replacing
@Buster Lawless: You’re a paragon of virtue all the same Ken.
@Buster Lawless: It’s quite interesting, the difference between how you type when commenting about Irish politics versus your inability to string a coherent sentence together when waffling on about Trump. Like most of the so-called Irish MAGA fans, it’s all just an act.
@Brian: sleep soundly at night, never wronged anyone….. If that’s an issue for you…..we’ll, shocker, I really couldn’t possibly care less.
@Jason Memail: 3 of my children were born stateside, Mrs Lawless & I hold US citizenship & YES we are members of the Republican party& are looking forward to voting ( again) for President Trump…… Suck it up!!!!!
@Buster Lawless: I don’t get the “suck it up” bit. You voted for him last time, and he lost. What’s there to suck up? I mean – he lost? MAGA heads are just weird.
@Buster Lawless: ‘ never wronged anyone’, like I say you’re a paragon of virtue Ken .. lol . And you must care a little bit.. you wouldn’t have replied if you didn’t.. bless. Sleep tight Ken.. Big night for ya tomorrow night LOL.
@Jason Memail: 2016 I canvassed and voted for President Trump before he became the ‘NO WAR’ President….. anyhow, can’t see the link between US elections & voting ‘rights’ to the Seanad so again i’d say …’suck it up’
@Brian: ??? How’d you know I’m going to the Ireland v Greece game?? That’s a bit weird, COYBIG!!!
@Buster Lawless: ha ha..Like when you said you were ‘stateside’ for the weekend whilst commenting on the Darts at Christmas Ken .. you were well busted there ‘ buster ‘ .. You’re some Walter Mitty lad . . Lol.
@Buster Lawless: During Trump’s time as president: Bombed Yemen, Somalia and Syria. Dropped – his words – the ‘mother of all bombs’ on Afghanistan and bragged about it. Assassinated a foreign military leader. Drone strikes in Syria and Iraq alone killed over 13k civilians. Increased troop levels in Afghanistan by 25% freed over 5k Taliban members, including the terrorist now running Afghanistan. Truly, the president of peace – facts don’t care about your feelings. At least you’ll get another chance to rally behind him for ’28.
@Buster Lawless: Trump would say mass in little old Catholic Ireland to fair. Having said that,if he doesn’t get elected,I’d reckon anarchy in america. Why? Because that’s what he wants. It’s all about him. Peace maker me hole…
@Brian: lol, ever look in mirror?? Only joined journal.ie in may…. Haven’t been back in US 2024…. but look if your juvenile ramblings work for you… If they give you a weird sense of validation/value……then you just ignore the posters on here that ridicule you constantly & you go ‘large’ & fill your boots
@Jason Memail: so you people can read? That’s impressive.
Now if you can run along and compile all the wars started by your preference you will see that they’re all the same.
@Buster Lawless: Do you understand why the Seanad was created. I doubt it, as if you did you would realise why it has those seats.
In fairness most of the Senators holding those seats have been people who challenged the status que and the policies of government.
@Buster Lawless: Well that explains a lot, vote away as he is digging himself bigger holes to fall into daily.
@Buster Lawless: The “No War” president, he wanted to invade Venezuela among other countries.
He demanded missions happened which failed miserably with bad results and the generals admit they would not show him information as he was likely to over react and endanger more people.
Oh and then rolling over to get his stomach tickled by the Rocket Man and Putin two dictators.
@jiminybillybob: What you’re conveniently leaving out is that nobody else is trying to paint their preferred candidate as the pinnacle of peace. Yes – they have all started wars, continued wars, dropped bombs, and killed civilians.
Maybe Darragh should totally concentrate on the housing issues. That would be nice for sure….
@Paul Gorry: he is Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, therefore Seanad reform falls under his remit.
@Pat Hazzard: Oh ye get you pat. He’s having a day off.
How about a bill to allow everyone over 18 to vote in the Seanad elections? Remove this stupid elitist education barrier.
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: YES, 100%….. Farcical system at present
At a time when the government are so focused on equality and fairness, why are they still persisting with this system of electing the Seanad. Firstly if we have to have the Seanad let the general electorate vote , secondly, why should someone who “graduated” have more rights than those who didn’t? …..We all play our part in society!!!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: Learn our history and you will learn why the Seanad was created in the fashion it was.
A two house system is known as the best type of government, with the second house, in this case the Seanad having a different make up to the main house, The Dail, for specific reasons.
All makes sense when you read about its set up.
@Gary Kearney: I am well aware of how and why it was set up, and am quite entitled to pass comment on it. I do not agree with the system of election. We should all have a say rather than the so called intellectual core!!
so only a certain class of society would be allowed to vote for them ?
what kind of elitist FFG Scandal is that ?
@Dominic Leleu: Read the history of the Seanad and understand that it was nothing to do with them at all!
The people of the county should have a vote to elected these senators it is called democracy
No harm. Will hopefully end the cosy cartel that currently keeps dark-ages fanatics like Ronan Mullen in a seat.
@Jason Memail: I disagree with Ronan Mullins on a lot of things but his and other dissenting voices are badly needed in our democracy. He and a few others called the last two referendums right and were very vocal.
Whatever you think, his voice and other conservative voices are badly needed.
That said, the university votes need to go.
@Teresa Ryan: A stopped clock is also right every now and then – doesn’t mean it’s something to be celebrated. How many referendums has he been on the losing side for?
The people voted a number of years ago in referendum to keep the Seanad as overseer to government proposed legislation ,when at the time Taoiseach Enda Kenny was pushing for it’s abolition. We were promised after that vote that reform would take place into how”ALL”the citizens of this country would be allowed to vote in senate elections.Still the elitism continues in Seanad Eireann.Shame on us for putting up with this elitism and nonsense.
@Gary Heslin: EK did indeed propose the abolition of the Seanad and as far as I remember suggested “something else” would be put in its place but the alternative wasn’t finalised. Having a Dail without the Seanad didn’t feel safe to me, I voted no. If EK had the alternative ready for me to consider I’d probably have voted yes.
Is it not obscene that the TDs are entertaining making something that is undemocratic and wrong slightly less undemocratic and wrong when they have the opportunity to make it right , by extending the voting rights to all Irish citizens.
I can not understand why a certain body of people is given a vote for this place, which is just a club for the select few. Anyhow, why am I and everybody else being disinfranchised as it’s the taxpayers thats funding this ‘House of Lords’
@Anthony Whoriskey: You are not disinfranchised at all. You simply do not know how it works and that is not the Seanad or the Senators fault
@Gary Kearney: Please explain, seeing as you seem to know how the majority of the electorate is not disenfranchised.
Dáil gives regional representation, which actually is more closely akin to the role of local government. The Seanad SHOULD give sectoral representation, where everbody can vote for representatives in one or 2 chosen sectors such as Agricultural, Education, Manufacturing, Small Business, Environmental, Transport, Fisheries, Communication, Tech, etc. etc.
Perhaps the taoiseachs right to appoint members should go as well
if in place it will need to be removed asap
How timely. We only had the referendum to allow this in 1979…
Should’ve gotten rid of this place when we had the chance. The Dáil is the only institution that can the Senate any power or relevance. Why would any politician create a rival for themselves? It’s never gonna happen.
We’re stuck with this broom cupboard of nobodies for good now.
@Ronan Mc: So you do not understand what the Seanad does or why it is there or how a two house government works. Fine.
Then say that. The Seanad has power and relevance but you don’t understand that as you do not understand as most people how the government and the civil service is run.
Stop all these token appointments to the Seanad. Everyone needs to be voted in. Failed politicians need to find another number, but not at taxpayers expense.
About time. I do vote but it’s the same old same
A second house is there to protect the people from overly powerful governments and it works.
The system of voting needs changing and that is well known and wanted by all.
The demolition of the house only suits parties that want absolute power.
The idea behind the Seanad is to have sectorial representation from across the people in the Seanad.
To have their expertise on hand, for people not having to manage a constituency and get re-elected and to have a different voice on committees, where the real work gets done.
More and more the Seanad is being filled with people who have more modern and inclusive voices but there are some of the old school still there. And there always will be as they are representative of some people.
@Gary Kearney: Well Said!
Very elitist system !! Surely every citizen of Ireland, regardless of whether they have a degree or not, should be able to vote on who sits in the seanad.
So our Taoiseach wouldn’t be allowed to vote
All irish citizens over 18 should have a vote. A new government should be allowed to appoint 11 senators. It is UNDEMOCRATIC.
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