Ciara Phelan: Sinn Féin quiet under pressure

The party finally faces the music at the plinth at Leinster House

Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Broin served as their sacrificial lamb stepping up alone to answer questions. Picture: Stephen Collins /Collins

Out Eoin Ó Broin came, the sacrificial lamb, emerging from wherever Sinn Féin TDs have been hiding for the past three weeks.

It was clear the party was avoiding the plinth at Leinster House with headlines about the use of legal action, a controversial book, and a former party councillor who has been jailed for facilitating one of the most high-profile gangland murders in the country.

It is not Sinn Féin’s style to shy away from cameras; the party's TDs use the plinth most Tuesdays to scold the Government and take videos for their social media.

The debate on the party’s use of legal action came as a result of RTÉ’s decision to drop an interview with former minister Shane Ross about his biography of Ms McDonald.

Earlier this year, the opposition leader started High Court proceedings against RTÉ, seeking damages for alleged defamation.

And although the national broadcaster denied it ditched the interview with Ross due to legal issues, the Taoiseach took the opportunity to renew his claim that Sinn Féin is attempting to shut down public debate by taking defamation cases against media organisations and politicians.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar also revealed that “Sinn Féin figures” have sent legal letters to at least three Fine Gael elected representatives.

Mr Martin also noted the party’s absence from the plinth when he said there is a pattern of “aggressive management of the media.”

But the party’s housing spokesman was left with no option but to face the press gallery, following requests after the announcement of an eviction ban.

Surprisingly, Ó Broin appeared on his own, without the support of any colleague by his side.

There were no questions about housing but 23 questions about Jonathan Dowdall, threats of legal action, defamation laws, and whether his party leader was a bully.

The party’s relationship with convicted criminal Jonathan Dowdall has been under a microscope recently and stubbornly, Ó Broin said a 2011 donation of €1,000 from Dowdall to the party has been spent, will not be refunded, and dismissed a suggestion that a payment should be made from the party to a charity that helps victims of crime.

Perhaps Sinn Féin representatives have also been avoiding the plinth since September 29, as a result of their poor performance on their alternative budget.

They slammed the Government for not doing enough, but the main opposition party also failed to meet calls from Social Justice Ireland to increase core social welfare payments by €20 per week; Sinn Féin proposed a hike of €15.

The Sinn Féin budget also proposed a spending of €4.1bn to help people with the cost-of-living crisis, exactly what the Government did.

It is the first time Sinn Féin has been knocked off its agenda since early this year, when the party focused on housing and the cost-of-living crisis, two issues that the Government is working to fix. Whether it will be successful will play out in the coming months.

Sinn Féin’s stance on an energy cap was ill-judged and lacked understanding of its consequences, something the UK Government is now realising, and which has only added to the criticism about the party’s financial credibility.

During Leaders’ Questions yesterday, Ms McDonald’s typical and deserved criticism of the Government was flat.

She called for the eviction ban to be introduced as soon as possible, knowing the ban will take effect in two weeks' time, once the required legislation is passed through the Oireachtas.

This is the first time Sinn Féin has been under serious pressure since its success in the General Election and it is showing.

No doubt the party's backroom team is already working on a new attack strategy.