Sinn Féin leader says she never considered stepping down despite hard year for the party

She conceded that the number of seats won in June’s local and European elections “wasn’t the result that we wished for”, but insisted that the mood in the party is now positive.

Ms McDonald has recently opened up about having gone through a particularly tough period in her personal life but insisted that at no point did she consider quitting.

“I know in my heart of hearts that quitting is not an option,” Ms McDonald said.

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She indicated that this would be the case no matter how Sinn Féin performs in the general election, saying: “I’m here for the long haul. I’m not a quitter. I’m at this a while now and I’ll be at it a while longer.”

In her address at the ard fheis, Ms McDonald called for support in the upcoming general election, urging voters to “say goodbye to a government for the vested interests, vulture funds, and the cosy club”.

She also used the speech to outline several policy promises, from providing childcare for €10 a day per child; to a second emergency hospital department for the mid-west region, the appointment of a minister for reunification; as well as hiring 1,000 extra gardaí.

Ms McDonald singled out carers, who she said are saving the state billions, as she pledged that a Sinn Féin government would abolish the means test for carers benefit.

It’s unfair that carers allowance is means tested. So, I want to be very clear. In government, Sinn Féin would abolish the means test for carers allowance. 

Ms McDonald said that there is a need for “mature, respectful conversation about constitutional change,” which will be required for a United Ireland.

Turning to migration, she said racism is repulsive and must be faced down, but she stressed that communities that are already under pressure must not be overburdened.

Asked about comments made by former taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who suggested the pace of population increase has been too fast, she said: 

The population has grown, that’s a matter of mathematical fact, immigration has to be managed with community fairness, common sense at its heart.

“That hasn’t been the case,” she said. 

However, Ms McDonald told RTÉ’s The Week in Politics that she disagreed with Labour leader Ivana Bacik when she said Mr Varadkar’s comments were “a new low”.

“I have many differences with Leo Varadkar and Fine Gael,” she said, “but I don’t believe for a second that he meant to strike out and that’s not how I heard it.”