LAST WEEK, SINN Féin held its Ard Fheis. The mood was positive, with our reporter Christina Finn noting that it seemed like the party was presenting itself as a ‘government in waiting’. 

There was an ‘air of confidence’ about the proceedings, she said, which was buoyed by recent polls. 

In the Irish Times/IPSOS MRBI poll, Sinn Féin support was put at 32% – while Fine Gael’s was at 22%, Fianna Fáil’s at 20%, and the Greens and Labour’s was at 7% and 4%, respectively.

Following that, the latest Business Post/Red C poll put McDonald’s party on 33% — the highest level it has ever reached in a Red C poll.

So this week on The Explainer podcast, we take a look at where things stand for the party – the challenges, its focus, and whether it could lead the next government. Joining us are our political correspondent Christina Finn, and Aidan Regan, associate professor at the School of Politics and International Relations at University College Dublin.

https://soundcloud.com/the-explainer-podcast/will-sinn-fein-lead-the-next-government

This episode was put together by presenter Sinéad O’Carroll, and producers Aoife Barry and Nicky Ryan.