With two byelections looming, Sinn Féin is using its two-day party “think-in” at the Irish Countrywoman Association’s headquarters in Co Louth for a little political product placement.
The party’s Dublin South West candidate Cathal King and his Roscommon/South Leitrim counterpart Martin Kenny are not exactly household names.
Party handlers have effectively superglued the councillors to senior Sinn Féin figures in front of the cameras in a bid to make their faces more familiar ahead of the polls.
Lest there be any doubt that Sinn Féin is on a General Election footing, one of the "26 county" sessions party leader Gerry Adams will chair tomorrow is entitled "Preparing to Govern".
On the subject of byelections, and with the Dáil resuming in six days, Mr Adams in his keynote speech this morning put the Government on notice that Sinn Féin will seek to move the writs for Dublin South West and Roscommon/South Leitrim next week.
Sinn Féin enjoyed success on this front before.
Party finance spokesman Pearse Doherty succeeded in his High Court challenge to a byelection delay in Donegal South-West and subsequently won the 2010 byelection.
Government sources have already indicated the polls could take place as early as October 10th, so Sinn Féin cannot lose by demanding they take place before the end of November.
The bulk of the two-day programme is closed to the media, but the patchy nature of the party’s organisation across the State, which has traditionally been a cause of concern for senior personnel, is sure to be addressed behind closed doors.
Delegates will be told there should be no corner of the country that does not have a party organisation.
Sinn Féin’s political opponents can expect a severe tongue-lashing during both the private and public sessions. Party spokespeople are going in hard against a reinvigorated Labour in the form of Tánaiste Joan Burton and Fine Gael in the form of the new EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan.
Fianna Fáil has not escaped either, as Sinn Féin continues its attempt to brand itself as “the real opposition” in Leinster House.
Sinn Féin prides itself on its flat rather than hierarchical structures and young staffers, many of whom are highly educated, are at the centre of policy discussions.
Discipline is always a feature of Sinn Féin events, and it’s remarkable that these republicans have consistently declined to welcome, or comment at all, on the surging sentiment in favour of independence in Scotland.
The party’s deputy leader has shrugged off controversy around her expensive business class flights to Australia. No taxpayers’ money was involved, she insisted.
Giving the “gruelling” schedule involved in the eight-day speaking tour taking in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane, she was very glad €4,000 was spent by those who organised the trip to afford her a level of comfort, Ms McDonald and Mr Adams greeted each other this morning with a casual “G’day”.
