Sinn Féin open to coalition talks with all parties

Sinn Féin are open to forming a new coalition government with anyone, and expect everyone to talk with them, a returning TD has indicated, as early general election results started coming in this afternoon.

Paul Donnelly was due to be elected on the first court in Dublin West, having surpassed the quota along with Fianna Fáil Minister Jack Chambers, according to a full tally.

In an exit poll last night and and in tallies from the count centres this afternoon, Sinn Féin looks to be neck-and-neck with both the outgoing coalition partners, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, at around 20% of the vote share.

It could be tomorrow before it is clear which party has the bragging rights to be the largest party in the Dáil.

Mr Donnelly was comfortably returned on the back of a strong Sinn Féin performance in Dublin and other urban areas.

Asked about a future government, he said: “I think maybe tomorrow, afternoon or tomorrow evening, we’ll have a clear idea about how many seats each party has. And then I think the discussions, the talks, will start.

“I think people should be open to talking to whomever, because it is about the people.

“The people have spoken in the general elections, they gave us their voice, and it’s up to us to make sure that that voice is heard.”

The number of seats is important for all parties, he said, “and we can’t determine that from just the first preference vote. But we in Sinn Féin will be in there fighting for every single seat as we go along.

“But I think it’s way too early to say, and in four and five seat constituencies, those last seats, will go down to a couple of hundred votes,” he added.

So far, the only clear outcome is that the big loser is the Green Party, who are set to lose almost all of their seats in the Dáil after propping up a Fine Fáil/Fine Gael coalition in defiance of their own voters.

That result will cast a shadow over the coalition’s attempts to return to power with another left-wing party, most likely the Social Democrats, who are set to gain seats and have said they are open to a left-right coalition.

There was joy and relief throughout the Sinn Féin organisation, particularly in Dublin, at the strong showing in the tallies, particularly in Dublin South-Central, where Daithí Doolan looks set to join Aengus Ó Snodaigh in the Dáil, and in Dublin North-West, where a vote split could elect both party veteran Dessie Ellis and newcomer Cathleen Carney Boud.

Meanwhile, Aontú are looking to elect at least a second TD, Sarah O’Reilly, in Cavan-Monaghan to join party leader Peadar Tóibín, with Aontú also competing in Dublin West and in Mayo.

Mr Tóibín said he was pleased with a “good result” for himself in Meath-West on an increased vote share, but predicted a long count before the result his confirmed.

He said there was a trend that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael support is falling “year on year”, and there is an “embryonic” merger underway of the two organisations who he said were being propped up by soft-left parties “posing as the opposition”.

In Laois, former Sinn Féin TD turned independent, Brian Stanley, has beaten his former party to hold his seat in what will be seen as a setback for Sinn Fein officials who had given their all to defeat the ousted republican veteran. Another former Sinn Féin TD, Carol Nolan, has topped the poll in Offaly and looks certain to win re-election.

But the biggest shock of the count could be the election of gangland figure Gerry Hutch in Dublin Central, to take the fourth and last seat – behind Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, Fine Gael Minister Paschael Donohoe and Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats.

Believed by gardaí to be the leader of the Hutch organised crime group, Hutch was arrested and charged in Lazarote by Spanish police investigating alleged organised crime activity last month. He was subsequently released on bail to register his candidacy.

Mr Gannon said Hutch’s candidacy was unexpected, but put his popularity is down to media attention and long-held hurt in the community.

“He got a lot of media with his announcement, that’s going to be expected,” said Mr Gannon.

“For me, it’s not just about what happens and who takes the fourth seat. I think it’s a reflection of the fact that there’s a lot of hurt, there’s a huge amount of pain.”

He said years of austerity “destroyed the fabric of communities”, including those in Dublin Central.

“I appreciate what the headlines will be today and tomorrow, but I do encourage everybody to go beyond them and look deeper, because when people are hurting to the extent that they are in some of the communities that I represent, or the length and breadth of Ireland, you’re going to see outcries of that.”

Urgent Appeal