Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said housing is the top priority for 2024 in her New Year’s message.
Ms McDonald said 2024 needs to be a year “when our young people have hope in the future”.
“Hope of an affordable home, hope of building a life in Ireland and hope of having a real opportunity to return home, if they want to do so,” she said.
“The election is fast approaching and if the people give us the opportunity to lead, Sinn Féin will make housing the number one priority of a new government – not only in words but in actions and in results.
“By reducing rents and delivering the largest social and affordable house building programme in the history of the State.
“We want 2024 to be the year that we turn the tide on the housing crisis, and I believe that will only happen with Sinn Féin in government.”
Northern Ireland
Ms McDonald also listed several other changes that need to be made in 2024 both in Ireland and internationally.
“[2024] needs to be the year when Michelle O’Neill becomes First Minister in a functioning Executive,” she said.
“It is now 19 months since the Assembly election when Michelle O’Neill became First Minister-elect.
“It’s decision time for the DUP. It’s time to move forward and form the Executive.”
The Sinn Féin leader also said 2024 “needs to be the year when Ireland truly leads on the international stage in working to secure peace in Ukraine and in Palestine”.
Seats for Ms McDonald and Sinn Féin
Ms McDonald said Sinn Féin will focus on electing enough TDs to form a government without Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil so it can deliver “real change”.
“But change starts at the local and European elections in June and Sinn Féin is focused on electing the largest number possible of Sinn Féin councillors and MEPs.”
The next general election is due to happen by March 2025, although recent polls suggest the majority of Irish people want an election in 2024.
Those who support Sinn Féin are most likely to endorse an early election.
Coalition-building
Going into 2024, Sinn Féin remains the most popular party in the country in polls, although it saw a small drop in support in the latter months of the year.
A Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll in September predicted the party would gain the largest amount seats “by far” but would need to form a coalition with Fianna Fáil to form a government.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin previously suggested he is not in favour of entering into government with Sinn Féin, arguing that their policies do not align.
