McDonald insists she will lead Sinn Féin after election

Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald has insisted that she will still be party leader after the next general election.

Speaking at the her party's Ard Fheis in Belfast, Ms McDonald told reporters the party was united and strong and determined to "motor on."
She said it was the party members who elect the leadership at each Ard Fheis and both she and Michelle O’Neill will be re-elected today.

It is her intention to lead her party into a government that does not include either Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

She said that the Government was under pressure and was now a minster and a TD down.

Last night, the party members voted to support a ban on fox hunting against the wishes of senior Sinn Féin figures.

There are concerns that this policy could adversely affect the party’s rural vote.

The vote had a relatively tight margin.

This came after a lengthy and sometimes heated debate, which at one stage was stalled as Belfast's International Convention and Exhibition Centre had to be evacuated due to an alarm.

Sinn Féin Monaghan TDs Matt Carthy and Cathy Bennett spoke against the motion with Dublin MEP Lynn Boylan and Kildare North Réada Cronin among those to favour a ban.

However, Ms McDonald dismissed any suggestions that the leadership was losing its grip on the party.

She said it showed how robust Sinn Féin was, and it made it clear that the members are the ones who set policy.

"I know that makes us different from other parties," she said.

'We are an incredibly strong political party' - McDonald
Sinn Féin to outline plan for cost-of-living crisis
The Sinn Féin Ard Fheis continues in Belfast today with the party expected to outline its plans to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and improve the health service.

Party leader Mary Lou McDonald will address delegates this evening, which will be televised live on RTÉ One, at 6.30pm.

Ms McDonald is likely to put the cost of living at the centre of her speech ahead of two Dáil bye-elections next month, including one in her own constituency of Dublin Central.

Last night, party Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty called for the immediate introduction of a mini-budget, saying the Government needed to act to help households.

Ms McDonald and First Minister Michelle O'Neill also met the family of murdered Derry GAA official Sean Brown at the Ard Fheis, saying after they "will continue to press the British Prime Minister to establish a public inquiry into Sean Brown's collusive and devastating murder without delay".

Delegates will also discuss proposals on building stronger public services and how to prepare for Irish Unity.

Sinn Féin headed into this Ard Fheis as Ireland's most popular party in opinion polls but still some way off its peak polling figure of 2022.

A recent poll also put the party at is lowest level of support in the North in five years - ahead of Stormont Assembly elections next year.