Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD presented the party’s frontbench team and said: "New government Ministers will have to be on their toes and on top of their briefs because they will be matched by a very energetic, very determined Sinn Féin leading the opposition.”

McDonald added: “We will hold the government to account, bring forward solutions and continue championing the change that so many people want. I am very proud of our new frontbench team and the fact that we have strong representation from rural Ireland, as well as our cities. Sinn Féin will provide constructive and critical opposition to this government. We will hold them to account, working with other parties in the opposition to do so.”

McDonald continued: "An effective opposition can achieve change by engaging constructively to bring forward solutions and force the government to act. We will stand up for workers and families on the issues that matter.

This means rebuilding the economy with decent work for decent pay at its core, as well as delivering affordable housing, a single-tier health system, public childcare and restoring the pension age to sixty-five. We will work for a United Ireland; as the health and economic challenges posed by Covid-19 and Brexit have starkly exposed that an all-island approach simply makes common sense.”

The Sinn Féin president underlined that “Ireland faces big challenges in the months ahead and we will be playing our part in delivering the change that is needed.”