SINN FÉIN LEADER Mary Lou McDonald has said women in public life have to be “fully respected in every way” and that she “expects the leader of the free world to rise to those standards”.

She was speaking at her campaign launch tonight in Wynn’s Hotel.

McDonald will be joined on the Dublin Central general election ticket by councillor Janice Boylan.

While other party leaders have spoken about their reaction to the election of Donald Trump, McDonald had not commented on Trump’s win until she was asked by reporters at her campaign launch tonight.

When asked for her reaction to Trump’s win, McDonald remarked that the “American people have spoken very clearly”.

“I’m conscious that we have long standing relationships with the United States that are cultural, familial and economic, and we need to continue to work with whoever leads the administration there,” said McDonald.

“Donald Trump has been president before, and people manage to form working relationships.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of talk internationally about what this will mean for the wider world order.”

McDonald said the Sinn Féin is “resolute” that under the Trump administration, “the issue of Palestine, of bringing an end to the genocide in Gaza and warfare in Lebanon, has to be high on the agenda”.

She added: “That means the United States ceasing its arming of (Israel prime minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s regime.”

McDonald then called for the government to “move beyond empty rhetoric and to finally put the occupied territories bill and the divestment legislation on the statute books”.

On Tuesday, concerns were raised with Simon Harris in the Dáil over reports that US Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin contacted the Tánaiste and Taoiseach’s office in relation to the enactment of the Occupied Territories Bill.

A reporter then noted that McDonald had not criticised Trump in her response and pointed to recent criticism from Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman, who said a Trump election win would be a “disaster”.

O’Gorman yesterday said he has “no doubt” that Ireland will maintain a close relationship with the United States.

“I would also like to extend my solidarity and support to the women in America whose reproductive rights have been curtailed in recent years, and for whom this result brings great uncertainty,” O’Gorman added, in reference to Republican’s stance on abortion. 

McDonald responded that “you have to respect the democratic outcome of the electorate”.

“They’ve made their democratic choice, and we have to respect and acknowledge that,” said McDonald.

“We have a strong difference with the American system when it comes to their foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East, particularly as regards its unquestioning support of the Netanyahu regime.

“That would be an item for Sinn Féin, irrespective of who would be in the White House.”

McDonald then said that “everybody in leadership positions have to work to acknowledge and respect every citizen”.

“I think it very important that women in public life and women across society are fully respected in every which way, and I would expect the leader of the free world to rise to those standards,” said the Sinn Féin leader.

McDonald then noted that “Trump was president before”.

“I heard some talk about the economic consequences for Ireland of his presidency,” said McDonald.

On Donald Trump’s election, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald says in terms of the Irish economy, his presidency “isn’t anything we can’t manage”.

“Just remember when he was president before, Irish corporation tax receipts rose by 60%”.

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— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) November 7, 2024

Concerns have been raised a re-working of US tax law under Trump could eventually lead to a major drop in Ireland’s corporate tax take.

“Just remember that when he was president before, Irish corporate tax receipts, I think, rose by 60% or something of that quantum,” said McDonald.

“I don’t think there is for us, economically speaking, anything that we can’t manage and mitigate.

“Beyond that, where we have differences with any administration, be it in the United States or elsewhere, we will not be shy about addressing those differences.”

-With additional reporting from Jane Matthews