Outgoing coalition partners Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, however, claim they are well placed to return to power following Ireland’s General Election.

Could Sinn Féin's biggest asset now become a liability facing into one of the most important elections in the party's history? After a summer of soul searching, Sinn Féin and it

Friday's vote is "an historic opportunity" to elect Ireland's first female prime minister, Ms McDonald says, and should that happen, she plans to put reunification at the heart of government, with a referendum by 2030.

SINN FÉIN LEADER Mary Lou McDonald has been re-elected in Dublin Central. She was elected on the third count at the RDS this evening with 7,388 votes. Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe (5,590) looks set to take the second seat with Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats (4,

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Mary Lou McDonald (55) has been the leader of Sinn Féin since February 2018 and a TD for Dublin Central since 2011. She succeeded Gerry Adams as leader, who had been at the helm of the party for 34 years.