Elaine Loughlin: Mary Lou McDonald has put Taoiseach in a dream position

Before the latest revelations exploded into the public domain, Sinn Féin had been sitting at 18%; a poll due out on Sunday will be tightly watched

Sinn Féin reached a high of 37% in the polls exactly two years but the real question now is how much lower will support for the party plummet? Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Simon Harris has now been handed a golden political moment, which he has to seize.

Sinn Féin, which this week went into an uncontrollable tailspin, had already been at a low ebb following disappointing local elections in June.