Local, European and Limerick Mayoral Elections 2024: Nail-biting European counts on the cards

Sinn Féin don’t have the answers on where it all went wrong yet’

In the wake of Sinn Fein’s nightmarish results in the local elections, David Cullinane Waterford Sinn Fein TD spoke to RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland. 

He said: “We are humble enough to accept that this was not the result that we expected. 

“We hoped to make more gains in the local elections, and obviously perform better in the European elections, and we accept that. But I want to promise the people listening [to this programme], who voted for Sinn Féin in 2020, that we have listened, that we will listen, that we hear you in terms of the message that you have sent. We obviously accept the verdict of the people, but we will learn. 

“And I can say to those people who do want change, that all of the issues that we raise, the housing crisis, people locked out of ever having a chance of owning their forever home, people who are on health waiting lists, children with scoliosis, people with disabilities, carers, who need better representation and a better government, that we will meet this Government on in a general election.”

He continued: “If this Government, or when this Government calls a general election, we will meet them head-on on their failed record.”

The Waterford TD reaffirmed: “I think the problem for us was that we didn’t listen to what the people have said. It’s possible that some of the Sinn Féin vote, or some of those people who want change, stayed home in the local election, and we know that some of the people who possibly intended to vote for Sinn Féin voted for Independents instead. 

“So, we must reflect on that. We don’t have all the answers as the votes are still being counted. So, what I’m saying is, like we did before, we will go, and we will talk to our communities.”

Asked about whether Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald was still the right person to lead the party to the general election he responded affirmatively saying: “Mary Lou Macdonald will be the person that will lead Sinn Féin very energetically into that campaign.”