Shane Ross: Mary Lou McDonald shoots — and scores an own goal on house prices

Shane Ross

Today at 02:30

The Sinn Féin research bureau has obviously been burning the midnight oil. Last week, Mary Lou McDonald suddenly came out to play. She was dispensing interviews and soundbites by the bucketful.

Something had spurred her into action. Perhaps the party’s sophisticated backroom team had spooked the leadership, confirming the news that had already emerged in this month’s Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks opinion poll: the issue of immigration is rapidly racing up the rankings.