Election performance not a setback for reunification, says Sinn Fein

Party leader Mary Lou McDonald had vowed to deliver a step change in the drive for constitutional change if Sinn Fein entered government and she became taoiseach.

The odds of either of those scenarios coming to pass following Friday election now look extremely slim, with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael expected to re-enter another coalition government in Dublin, leaving Sinn Fein facing another five years as the Dail’s main opposition party.

Fianna Fail won 48 seats in the election, with Sinn Fein taking 39 and Fine Gael securing 38.

Fianna Fail also took the most first preference votes in the proportional representation election, securing 21.9% to Fine Gael’s 20.8%.

Sinn Fein came in third on 19%.

While Sinn Fein’s vote share represented a marked improvement on its disappointing showing in June’s local elections in Ireland, it is still significantly down on the 24.5% poll-topping share it secured in the 2020 general election.

Ms McDonald and vice-president Michelle O’Neill, who is Northern Ireland’s First Minister, met Sinn Fein’s new-look team of TDs at Leinster House on Wednesday.

Afterwards, they were both asked by reporters if the election result was a setback for their Irish unity project.

“No, far from it,” replied Ms McDonald.

“As a matter of fact, it was interesting during the election campaign the number of parties that set out actually very ambitious targets and ideas around reunification, the democratic conversation. So, far from it. I think it’s still very much game on.”

Ms O’Neill added: “Absolutely, we just now returned with 39 TDs, the largest ever team of Sinn Fein in the Dail.

“I think that speaks volumes in terms of our project and what we want to achieve.”