Sinn Féin candidates are 'of the best calibre, character and integrity', says Mary Lou McDonald
Mary Lou McDonald: 'Did we, at times, do things and make mistakes along the way? Yes, we did and we got called out on that, as you know, by our working-class base and that is fair enough.' Photo: Sam Boal/Collins Photos
Mary Lou McDonald has said there are no complaints or investigations underway into any of the 71 candidates standing for Sinn Féin in the general election.
All candidates chosen are people "of the best calibre, character and integrity", the Sinn Féin leader said.
On the first day of the campaign, Ms McDonald was forced to field questions over the behaviour of people within the party as former Sinn Féin press officer Michael McMonagle was being jailed earlier in the day for nine months after pleading guilty to child sex offences.
Addressing this, Ms McDonald said justice had been served with McMonagle now behind behind bars and was defiant in the face of suggestions that incidents such as this had damaged the party's reputation.
The party leader admitted that mistakes have been made in the four years since Sinn Féin received the highest share of votes in the last general election.
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"Did we, at times, do things and make mistakes along the way? Yes, we did and we got called out on that, as you know, by our working-class base and that is fair enough," she said.
It is hoped that the party's "very ambitious programme" and policies that have been set out in recent weeks will win back lost voters.
Ms McDonald is adamant that her party is in it to win it and wants to lead a government without Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil. However, she is not ruling out going into a coalition with either.
Taking a swipe at the main parties, Ms McDonald said Sinn Féin is open to speaking with anyone in terms of negotiating a coalition unlike others following the 2020 election.
"I remember after the last election, people were turning up their noses and saying they wouldn't speak to us," Ms McDonald said.
"Apparently, we weren't good enough, according to them for people to come and talk to us. And that landed really badly with the hundreds of thousands of people who voted for Sinn Féin."
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