Sinn Fein: party leader rules herself out of party candidate for Irish presidency

Mary Lou McDonald today (Friday) ruled herself out of becoming Irish president.

The Sinn Fein leader said that if Sinn Fein decided to contest this autumn's election she would not be their candidate.

The party president was speaking as she led a delegation to Stormont.

She said Sinn Fein had just started its considerations on how it would approach the election and has not yet made a decision on whether it will run its own candidate.

Ms McDonald also commented on the visit of mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor to the Oval Office to meet President Donald Trump on St Patrick's Day on Monday.

The Sinn Fein president said she was "disappointed" that the president did not appear aware that Ireland's greatest fighter is actually two-weight world champion boxer Katie Taylor.

Meanwhile, Downtown Radio & Cool FM Reporter James Gould asked her about Mr McGregor's bid to become Irish president after he declared intention to seek a candidacy.

"That's a matter for himself," she said.

The Sinn Fein president added: "I think it's going to be an important contest come the autumn time. The position of the first citizen of Uachtaran na hEireann (President of Ireland) is a very, very important one, not just domestically, but also internationally. And I think there'll be considerable competition for the post.

"And Michael D's done a great job, I think we can all agree."

Amid speculation that left-leaning parties in the Irish parliament may seek to back an agreed independent candidate, Ms McDonald acknowledged that was an option Sinn Fein would consider.

President Michael D Higgins' second and final term in office ends on November 11 when the winner of the election will be inaugurated.

While an election to find his successor must take place within his final 60 days in office, the poll is expected to be held in late October.

Earlier this week, Taoiseach Micheal Martin ruled himself out as a candidate for his Fianna Fail party.

Ms McDonald was asked about her party's plans, and whether she might be a candidate, as she spoke to reporters at Stormont in Belfast on Friday.

"On the presidential election, we've just commenced really our discussions around what we might do," she said.

"We're speaking with others, other parties, and there are options available to us - to run a Sinn Fein candidate, to back another - and we haven't concluded on that."

She pushed back on the suggestion that there had been speculation linking her to a presidential run.

"Just to say no, it won't be me," she added.

"I want Sinn Fein to be in government in Dublin. I still believe that we can achieve that, and I know that for progress to be made in so many areas, in housing and giving a chance for our younger people in particular, we need a change of government. And all of my energy and my effort is towards achieving that."

The party has recently also rejected speculation linking Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O'Neill to a potential run in the presidential election.

In the 2018 election, Sinn Fein had a disappointing day, with candidate Liadh Ni Riada coming fourth in the contest, securing just over 6% of the first preference votes.

Ms McDonald also answered questions on Sinn Fein's St Patrick's boycott of the White House.

She said Sinn Fein's connections in the US were "deep and enduring", claiming its "friends in the United States understand why we took this decision".

"The decision not to go to DC this year was a decision not taken lightly. We felt and feel, given the situation in Palestine and Gaza in particular, that we had to take a stand, and that is what we have done. We've been, I think, very upfront about that. We also have been very clear that the relationship with the United States remains a very important one, and that we need to use every lever that we can to encourage the United States to walk a path of peace, of reconciliation and of peace building in the Middle East, the same approach that we have benefited from here In Ireland.

"And I want to recognise again, the contribution of successive US administrations in forming, in nurturing and in the development of the peace process here.

"There are moments in life where you take a decision and you make a stand, and it was such a moment for us. I know that our friends in the United States understand why we took this decision, and I also know that we will continue to work constructively with everybody.

"But anyone who has watched now since the St Patrick's Day events in the Oval Office, events as they have unfolded in Gaza and also on the West Bank, can be in no doubt that a stance has to be taken as regards Israeli impunity, international law has to be respected, decency and fairness and human rights need to be re-established, and we think the United States can have a really constructive role in that.

"But, for that to happen, they need to stop arming Israeli aggression, and they need to move towards an insistence on compliance with the law."