I would call elections if it weren’t for a pandemic

Mary Lou McDonald says she would call an election were it not for the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Sinn Féin has been elected as the most popular party in the country on several occasions in the months after the February elections, and many have speculated that party members were pleased to enter the Opposition, leaving them free to criticize the Government in hard times.

However, McDonald insists he is far from happy to be in opposition.

“I’m not thrilled at all,” McDonald said. “In fact, I am very anxious.

If the circumstances were different, but for the public health emergency, I certainly think we would be urging that we go back to the polls and try again.

“I think it’s really ironic that the plot said they had to go in together to provide stability and certainty, and that, above all, Sinn Féin had to stay out at all costs.

“Now what we’ve had, possibly the most chaotic and dysfunctional administration we’ve ever seen.

“Everyone, including the Green Party, has a level of responsibility for the kind of government chaos that we have seen and I think it is to such an extent that it is actually disconcerting for people in times that are very difficult and very challenging.

“I do not delight in failure. I am as frustrated as anyone else at how poorly this government is doing. Now I am anxious for the people.”

Since its most successful election in February, the party has hired several staff members and underwent a significant shakeup.

Shock was expressed when Fingal TD Louise O’Reilly moved from the healthcare portfolio to businesses and enterprises, and was replaced by David Cullinane.

“Louise is the kind of TD that I could use any time soon and she would act,” said Ms. McDonald.

“I am very aware that the whole issue of work and unemployment will become very important, very, very quickly, and not least youth unemployment.

“It also struck me that Leo Varadkar has the rights of workers under his watch, a fact that made my back shake, so that was also a factor, but she has great talent, it is actually a reflection of her strengths and their considerable talents more than anything else. “

More than 100 days since the government was formed, the problems raised in the elections have worsened considerably, said Ms McDonald.

“I think it’s amazing after 100 days and we still don’t have the proper rental controls or the proper protections for people in rented homes,” he said.

They are still chasing the coexistence insanity, this kind of glorified glassy housing affairs, it is absolutely insane, and even Covid has not convinced them that this is insane, it is absolutely out of place.

The party suffered sustained criticism during the election for its treatment of Paul Quinn’s family after MLA Conor Murphy accused the murder victim of being involved in crime.

Since then, the party has continued to come under fire from social media trolls claiming to be associated with or supporters of Sinn Féin.

One member resigned this year after it was discovered that he used an anonymous account to abuse people online.

“You can have a political debate without being abusive and I get my fair share of abuse,” said Ms. McDonald.

It’s not a way to move on, and I feel so sorry for the people who are on the receiving end.

“This notion that somehow this is a Sinn Féin thing, it just isn’t.

“There are people across the board who will abuse social media platforms and they should just stop, and anyone who behaves that way and thinks they are acting on behalf of the Sinn Féin party, let me clarify that they are. No.

“I don’t think anyone can reasonably expect a political leader to be responsible for the hundreds of thousands of people who voted for you, that’s not a reasonable question.

“And certainly if it gets to the point where people feel threatened or harassed or if they need to go to the authorities, I have done it myself in the past because it is not acceptable.”