Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has blasted “arrogant” political rivals for denying her party a place in the next Government.
Fianna Fáil has ruled out entering a coalition with the left-leaning group because of historic links to the IRA and wide policy differences over issues like how to run the economy.
Sinn Féin emerged as the party with the largest first preference vote. It did not field enough candidates to fully capitalize on a wave of support inspired by discontent over problems in the health service and access to housing.
Ms McDonald said: “The political establishment of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are circling the wagons in defense of a status quo that will not deliver the change citizens voted for last weekend.”
She addressed a party meeting in Belfast on Saturday.
Sinn Féin topped the first preference poll following the General Election.
Its total of 37 seats is one fewer than that of Fianna Fáil.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s Fine Gael won 35 seats.
No single party has enough seats to govern and Sinn Féin appears to have failed to muster enough support from a coalition of small left-leaning parties and independent members of the new Dáil.
Ms McDonald said the public had given her party a chance to show it can improve their lives.
“A chance to show that will we honor our commitments.
“A chance to shape a government that will finally do right by ordinary people.
“They want a government for change.”
She said that was why Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were – and are – so determined to keep Sinn Féin out of government.
“Because they don’t want change.
“That is why they said they wouldn’t talk to us.
“And it now seems that Micheál Martin’s plan is to deny the people what they voted for.
“That is an arrogant and untenable position, given the strength of Sinn Féin’s mandate.”