Sinn Féin won't impose whip as they leave decision on presidential candidate until later this month

The party does not intend to state whether it will run a candidate or back a party outsider until later this month, which Mary Lou McDonald said is 'plenty of time'

Mary Lou McDonald with other party members arriving for Sinn Féin’s think-in in Dun Laoghaire. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has rejected claims her party has left it too late to declare who it will back in the presidential election.

The party does not intend to state whether it will run a candidate or back a party outsider until later this month, which Ms McDonald said is "plenty of time".

"This campaign officially starts on September 24 and that will give almost five weeks of campaigning for each of the candidates to be scrutinised and evaluated, for the Irish electorate to make its democratic decision," she said, noting that it exceeds the timeframe of a general election "by a considerable margin".

With independent hopefuls already beginning to make their presentations to councils around the country, Sinn Féin's decision will come after a large majority of local authorities have already voted.

Speaking at the party's think-in in Dun Laoghaire on Monday, Ms McDonald confirmed that a whip was not being imposed on Sinn Féin councillors.

"Our councillors are very sensible people with a lot of cop on. They will go to their meetings, they will listen, they will hear what people have to say," she said.

"I don't know that you would call it a free hand. They are members of Sinn Féin. We are not issuing an instruction and there is not a whip being imposed."

Her comments follow the decision by Fine Gael to instruct its councillors not to support any independent candidates, a move which has been criticised by those hoping local authorities will vote to put them on the ballot.

One name that will not be on that ballot is Ms McDonald's. The Sinn Féin leader officially ruled herself out on Monday, saying she was needed to hold the Government to account.

If the party decides to back someone from outside Sinn Féin, Ms McDonald said Independent candidate Catherine Connolly is "very much in the mix".

"I think Catherine Connolly, for what it is worth, is a person with great experience and she is clearly a very independent-minded person. I think she is a person who shares a lot of our values around social justice and fairness, domestically and globally."

Sinn Féin intends to meet with Ms Connolly and her campaign and will "ask all manner of questions" as part of their decision-making process, Ms McDonald said.

The party's task, according to its leader, is to keep Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael out of government and keep them out of the Áras.

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"We are very clear that our role is to continue to hold Micheál Martin, Simon Harris and, of course, Michael Lowry — the third leg of this failing Government — to account," Ms McDonald said.

The cost-of-living crisis and housing were two areas where the Government are failing citizens, while life is particularly challenging for those living with disabilities or additional needs and their families, she said.

The Sinn Féin think-in heard from Stephen Morrison, father of nine-year-old Harvey, who died in July, having struggled to access care for scoliosis and spina bifida hydrocephalus for some years.