David Davin-Power: Mary Lou will have to move carefully if Sinn Féin is to throw in their lot with Fianna Fáil

Many frontbenchers want to bury the Civil War hatchet and enter a Grand Coalition, with the Greens as political cover, writes David Davin-Power

A deafening clamour for change swept Sinn Féin to the top of the poll, and Mary Lou McDonald knows she has first to explore the prospects of a real alternative government made up of parties and independents of the left. She has made it clear that Sinn Féin is now a party of government; she wants to see Sinn Féin ministers in cabinet, even if she has wisely avoided talking about those posts, let alone what role she might play.