McDonald to replace Adams as Ireland's Sinn Fein chief

Mary Lou McDonald has been introduced to Sinn Féin supporters as the party's President-Elect by Gerry Adams at a meeting this morning of the party Ard Comhairle and its Northern region organisation in Belfast.

Sinn Fein's governing council met in Belfast to formally ratify Ms McDonald, with a special conference to elect her to be held next month when Mr Adams, 69, steps down after nearly 35 years at the helm. A special party conference to elect a new leader will be held on 10 February.

Cathaoirleach of Ennis Sinn Féin Tommy Guilfoyle is confident Mary Lou is the woman to drive the party forward.

"Irish unity is the best solution for this island and we will work to convince our unionist friends and neighbours of that", she declared.

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Ms McDonald, 48, was Sinn Féin's first MEP and has been TD, a position equivalent to a MP, for Dublin Central since 2011.

Deputy McDonald's succession to president-elect comes after Gerry Adams past year announced he would be standing down as his party's leader in 2018.

She will take over from Gerry Adams.

"I never thought come February 10 I would be the boss man!" "I won't fill Gerry's shoes - the news is I've brought my own".The change represents a major shift for Sinn Fein, so closely associated with Adams' leadership, which started in November 1983.

Mr Adams also used the Belfast gathering to indicate Sinn Féin wants to see an end to the stalemate at Stormont.

Ms McDonald had criticised Mr McElduff but described the three-month suspension handed down by the party as "appropriate and proportionate".

Sinn Fein is now the third biggest party in the Republic of Ireland and the second biggest party in Northern Ireland.He said Ms McDonald was the "ideal candidate" to "lead Sinn Fein into the future". "We also need to win that referendum. don't believe the naysayers and begrudgers who claim that a United Ireland is a pipe dream".