Mary Lou McDonald warns Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ‘writing is on the wall’

Speaking to hundreds of Sinn Féin delegates at The Helix in north Dublin, the party leader said the “writing is on the wall” for the coalition parties.

It is Sinn Féin’s first annual conference in two years due to Covid restrictions.

Standing in front of the banner, Time for Change, the Dublin TD told the party faithful that the parties led by Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin have been in government for “too long”.

She said that the pandemic exposed the “broken system” in a partitioned Ireland.

“The writing is on the wall for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael,” Ms McDonald added.

“Things were bad enough when these parties pretended to oppose each other.

“But by god things have gone to the dogs since the boys clubbed together.

“They have no answers to the big questions that affect your life.

“They are out of touch, out of ideas and out of time.

“So, let’s call time on their century-old stranglehold on power, their divisive politics of the haves and have nots.

“Their cynical politics that seeks to normalise a housing crisis.

“They say change is impossible. We’ll never accept that.” The party is riding high on recent polls, which shows it took a 10-point lead over Fine Gael.

She told the assembled crowd, all of whom wore face masks, that Michelle O’Neill will become the next First Minister if Sinn Féin emerges as the largest party in Northern Ireland.

“The days of ‘Fenians need not apply’ are over,” she added.

“The days of treating any citizen or group of citizens as ‘less than’ or second-class are gone.” 

The party’s historic performance in the 2020 General Election saw the party return 37 TDs, with 25% of the vote.

Ms McDonald vowed to run more candidates in the next election.

“At the last election, you told us it’s an Ireland that is stronger and fairer, where workers and families come first,” she added.

“Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar couldn’t stomach that.

“They clubbed together to stop a government for change.

“In truth, they can block change. They can delay change. But they cannot stop it.

“Neither can the DUP. The Unionist electoral majority is gone. The days of domination are over.

“Those who hanker for the past, who disrupt the present and who threaten our future need to realise that there is no going back.

“This new generation is moving on. Together.” 

She criticised the DUP’s boycott of North-South Ministerial Council meetings, claiming their push to scupper the Northern Ireland Protocol are attempts to “block change”.

Ms McDonald, who has led the party since February 2018, said the party will lead a Government “that puts workers and families first”.

“Sinn Féin will deliver that government for the people. We want to lead that government,” she added.

“I want to lead as Taoiseach if you give us that chance.” 

During the day-long conference, the party has passed a motion to support the use of non-jury courts in “exceptional cases”.

The three-judge criminal court has been used in trials of dissident republicans and gangland criminals, and has no jury in order to avoid any potential intimidation of members.

The party has long been an opponent of the non-jury court, which was the subject of criticism by several parties.

Ms McDonald said she wants everyone to take part in its “people’s conversation” on Irish unity which starts in January.

“It is time for Irish unity. Planning and preparation must start now,” she added.

Earlier, Ms O’Neill hit out at the DUP for “rolling back” on political agreements, accusing the party of denying rights and equality.

The Sinn Fein deputy leader used her speech to criticise the Democratic Unionists, accusing the party of “provoking outrage” by boycotting the North-South Ministerial Council.

Ms O’Neill said the balance of power at Stormont has “shifted irreversibly” and the political unionist majority is gone.

“The DUP roll back on political agreements, their continued denial of equality and rights is dead-end polit