Sinn Féin targeting 55 seats in next general election in push to lead government

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald: 'We need to maximise our number of candidates. Selection conventions, filling tickets, balancing tickets is a massive undertaking in any political party, so that process is underway.' Picture: Brian Lawless

Sinn Féin is aiming to take at least 55 seats in the next election, as the party ramps up its preparations to lead the next government.

Buoyed by six months of positive opinion polling, the party will look to run a minimum of 80 candidates when the next election is called. Former TD for Cork North-Central Jonathan O'Brien is already playing a role in selecting candidates, even though an election could be as far as three years away.