McDonald Front Bench | |
|---|---|
| Opposition front bench of Ireland | |
 McDonald with members of her front bench during the nomination of the Taoiseach in April 2024 | |
| Date formed | 10 February 2018 |
| People and organisations | |
| Leader of the Opposition | Mary Lou McDonald |
| Member party | |
| Status in legislature | 39 / 174 (22%) (2024)37 / 160 (23%) (2020)23 / 158 (15%) (2018) |
| History | |
| Legislature terms | 34th Dáil 33rd Dáil 32nd Dáil |
| Predecessor | Second Martin Front Bench |
Mary Lou McDonald has served as theLeader of the Opposition since 27 June 2020, following the formation of thegovernment of the 33rd Dáil after the2020 general election. McDonald has continued in this role following the formation of thegovernment of the 34th Dáil.
FollowingMicheál Martin's appointment as Taoiseach on 23 January 2025, Mary Lou McDonald retained her position as the secondPresident of Sinn Féin and first woman to hold thede facto role ofLeader of the Opposition, a position she has held since the2020 general election.[1]
On 28 January 2025, Mary Lou McDonald announced the new Sinn Féin front bench for the34th Dáil.[2]
| Portfolio | Name | Elected office |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Whip and spokesperson forFisheries and the Marine | Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (In attendance at front bench meetings) | TD forDonegal |
| Deputy Whip | Denise Mitchell | TD forDublin Bay North |
On 18 February 2025, Mary Lou McDonald announced a new team of junior spokespeople that broadly correspond with the portfolios ofMinisters of State.[3]