Kildare Sinn Fein candidate welcomes Mary Lou's inclusion in leaders' debate on Prime Time

Sinn Féin candidate contesting the general election in North Kildare, Reada Cronin, has welcomed the inclusion of her party leader, Mary Lou McDonald to the Prime Time debate on RTÉ this week.

Following yesterday's results from the Business Post Red C Poll, Sinn Féin now shares the top slot with Fianna Fáil, ahead of Fine Gael, whose support has dramatically slipped back in recent weeks.

North Kildare SF candidate, Miss Cronin, a former county councillor, stated "Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar should be quaking in their boots, having to go up against Mary Lou on live television. We saw last week how capable she was, and when faced with real solutions, they should be worried!"

She continued: "We in Sinn Féin are putting forward real solution for the Irish people, and not being dictated to by the bankers, builders and vulture fund holders. 

"I'm hearing it on the doorsteps" said Miss Cronin. "Voters are fed up with the main parties; Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael don't have an automatic right to the Dáil. This is a republic and the electorate no longer want their 'smash and grab' politics!"

Miss Cronin (above) described the impact that young people are having in this election as "youth quakes". 

"Never before have we witnessed so many youth who have persuaded their parents and grandparents to vote Sinn Féin and to veer away from the crippling policies of the two main parties". 

People, she said, want to engage at the doorsteps, and she feels that the youth of Ireland have completely  re-energised the political landscape and put some excitement back into the general election. 

Sunday's Red C poll by the Red C poll put Sinn Féin at the top of the leader board, sharing the highest vote share predictions with Fianna Fáil, the first time ever that Sinn Féin was ranked ahead of Fine Gael in the poll

The poll estimated:  Fianna Fáil 24%, down 2; Sinn Fein 24%, up 5; Fine Gael 21%, down 2; the Greens 7%, down 1; Labour 5%, up 1; Social Democrats 3%,no change; Solidarity-PBP 1%, down 1; Aontú are 2%, up 1 and Independents and others are 12%, down 2.

(Note, the poll of 1,000 voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 3%; the poll was taken over six days up until last Thursday, January 30).

The debate will be aired tomorrow night, Tuesday, February 4 on Prime Time, after the 9pm RTÉ news.

Sinn Féin has confirmed Miss McDonald will accept the invitation and it is understood that the national broadcaster will also invite the leaders of five other parties to a leaders' debate on Prime Time on RTÉ One this coming Thursday night.

See tomorrow's Leinster Leader and Thursday's Kildare Post for canvass coverage with the Kildare candidates, north and south and see continued coverage on KildareNow and Leinster Leader.ie