Not running: McDonald rules herself out of Áras race as party gathers for pre-Dáil think-in

SINN FÉIN LEADER Mary Lou McDonald has confirmed that she will not be running for president, asserting that her focus instead will be on leading the party in the Dáil.

In recent weeks, McDonald had left the door open for an Áras run but confirmed this morning, ahead of her party’s think-in today in Dún Laoghaire, that she will not be running.

“It is so important we have a government that can respond to day-to-day needs,” she told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.

McDonald said that she “needs to lead from the front” in opposition.

“For me, at this point in time, my effort has to be in respect of holding this government to account day in daily, building a real alternative as to when the next general election occurs.”

Speaking to reporters in Dún Laoghaire, McDonald gave no hints about what approach the party will take before it makes a decision on 20 September. 

She was asked specifically if the party will put forward Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill, former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, TD Rose Conway Walsh or TD Pearse Doherty, but refused to rule anyone in or out. 

“Well, if you were to ask Gerry Adams, Gerry Adams would tell you his name is very definitively not in the mix, but I’m not going to presume any of that,” McDonald said. 

She added that the decision will have to be made in a “unified way” and added that there is plenty of time for that decision to be made, noting that the campaign does not formally begin until 24 September. 

“That will give almost five weeks of campaigning,” she said, adding that it “exceeds the time of a general election by a considerable margin”.  

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Local Authority route 

Speaking to reporters at her party’s think-in in Dún Laoghaire this morning, McDonald said Sinn Féin will not be imposing a whip on its councillors in relation to who they may nominate for the presidential election. 

A person can run in the presidential election if they receive the backing of four local authorities or 20 Oireachtas members. 

Kerry County Council is the first local authority to begin its hearings for candidates today. 

“Obviously our councillors, like the rest of us, are engaged in our internal process. That’s their first consideration. They’ve all had their say, and they will continue to be part of the decision-making process,” McDonald said. 

She added: “But like our councillors are very sensible people with a lot of cop on. They will go to their meetings. They will listen, they will hear what people have to say. But of course, our priority and our focus is on the decision that we will collectively make.”

Asked to clarify if this means Sinn Féin councillors will have a free hand in who they can support, McDonald said: “I don’t know if you would call it a free hand. I mean, they are members of Sinn Féin. We’re not issuing an instruction. There isn’t a whip being imposed, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Speech

Addressing her party colleagues at today’s think-in at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire, McDonald said her party will cut Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael “no slack” as we enter this new Dáil term. 

“We will continue to fight the corner of ordinary people and hold this government to account for their failures and their poor choices,” she said. 

The truth is that since Micheál Martin and Simon Harris brokered their grubby deal with Michael Lowry, it’s been more of the same, more crises, more waste of public money, more excuses and more failure. We believe that better is possible,” she said. 

Turning to the forthcoming Budget, which will take place on 7 October, McDonald said the focus should be on “ending the rip off” and supporting workers and families. 

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The Sinn Féins conference will be addressed this afternoon by teenage disability advocate Cara Darmondy, and Stephen Morrison and Gillian Sherratt, the parents of nine-year-old Harvey Morrison Sherratt, who died this summer after waiting years for scoliosis surgery. 

Presidential election plan 

Elsewhere, Michelle O’Neill has refused to rule herself out of running in the presidential election. 

The Sinn Fein vice president said the winner of October’s election must use their role as Ireland’s head of state to represent the interests of all Irish citizens, including those living north of the border.

She said that should extend to playing a “role” in planning for Irish unification.

Meanwhile, speaking on Virgin Media TV, Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan said McDonald is a “fantastic leader of the party” and “would serve us much better being in the Dáil, as a strong opposition, and hopefully at one stage being the Taoiseach”.

She added that “whether it’s an independent left candidate like Catherine Connolly, or our own candidate, Sinn Féin will be active in the campaign”.

Fine Gael has chosen Heather Humphreys as their nominee, while Fianna Fáil will make their decision during a meeting of its parliamentary party tomorrow.

- With reporting from Diarmuid Pepper and Press Association

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