SINN FÉIN IS ready for a November election and will be running more candidates than ever before, leader Mary Lou McDonald told reporters at the Sinn Féin Ardfheis today.

The party’s Ardfheis is continuing in Athlone today amidst its recent slump in the polls.

Last week, Polling by Opinions for the Sunday Times showed Sinn Féin lag behind Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Independents, dropping nine points to 18%. 

The latest Business Post / Red C Poll earlier this month also showed Sinn Féin take a hit, while Fine Gael stood on 23% under the leadership of Taoiseach Simon Harris – a 2 point increase since June. Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin tied with an 18% popularity rating.

Today, McDonald told reporters she was confident in her party’s ability to compete in the upcoming general election, and would be running candidates in every constituency.

“We are going to run a larger number of candidates than ever before. Just for those that care about these things, we will be running more candidates than in 2020 because I didn’t hear the end of that after that election,” she said. 

McDonald said that in some constituencies, Sinn Féin would be contesting more than one seat. 

At the Ardfheis, McDonald said conversations around housing, childcare healthcare and the cost of living crisis would take precedent, as well as preparations for the upcoming budget, which is to be announced by Minister for Finance Jack Chambers on Tuesday. 

We are ready for this campaign, for this election, because we believe passionately that there has to be a change of government that we can do so much better, and that we can actually solve the questions that bear down on people, in particular housing.”

McDonald said: “The conversation around reunification, preparation for referendums is live, and very much part of the conversation here.”

She added that the First Minister of Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill, and executive colleagues are currently present at the Ardfheis. 

McDonald said that a border poll should not be delayed by the Irish or UK governments. She said that provisions for such a referendum exist within the Good Friday Agreement, which is now 26 years old. 

“The referendums will happen, and the challenge now for both governments is to prepare and to have that inclusive, respectful, mature dialog that we have called for a long time,” she said.

Last night at the Ardfheis, delegates raised concerns over the party’s backing of controversial and failed referendums on family and care earlier this year. Following addresses by a number of delegates on the matter, a motion was passed calling Sinn Féin’s ard comhairle to hold a special conference for the party to determine its position on any future referendums. 

The Ardfheis continues, with Mary Lou McDonald set make an address this evening.