Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald talks trans rights and a united Ireland on Late Late Show

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald joined host Patrick Kielty on the Late Late Show last night (April 25) to discuss a wide variety of hard-hitting topics, such as last year's election, why she will not make a bid for the Presidency, how likely a  united Ireland is and her campaigning for the equality of all, including trans people, in Ireland. 

Speaking on last year's General Election, the Dublin Central TD got candid on the disappointment the party faced, citing that "Every day is a school day. Every campaign is different" but insisted they are learning from the mistakes made. This is in reference to the significant drop they experienced in results from 24.5% to 19% of first-preference votes.

On why she would not make a bid for the Presidency, Ms McDonald stated, "There is so much work to be done, so many things that can be achieved, and I want to be part of leading that effort," adding that this cannot be done from Áras an Uachtaráin. However, she spoke fondly of President Michael D Higgins, saying his term was exemplary. The Presidential Election is due to take place by Tuesday, November 11. 

One of the central point's to Sinn Féin's beliefs is a united Ireland. Ms McDonald spoke candidly on this with host Patrick Kielty, a Down native. She said, "I believe that we're living in the end days of partition. Actually, this year marks a century since the Boundary Commission partitioned our island. So a century ago, people in Tyrone, your own home county of County Down, woke up one morning and everything had changed and they had been left behind, and then the history unfolded as we know.