Mary Lou McDonald has called on the European Union to support Irish reunification.

The Sinn Fein leader, hot off an astounding election result, is now seeking to form a government that doesn’t look to include either Fianna Fail or Sinn Fein.

She has remained open to working with all parties, though, as Sinn Fein secured the second-highest number of seats following the conclusion of the election count on Monday.

Despite criticism already being directed at her party after TD David Cullinane was recorded shouting ‘up the RA’ after his re-election was confirmed.

Ms McDonald responded by saying that the comments ‘serve as a distraction’ to the work that Sinn Fein wants to do in the coming weeks and months.

Speaking after the conclusion of the election count, Mrs McDonald said that she believes that the EU should take a stance on Irish reunification, as they have with other countries in similar positions.

Speaking on BBC Newsnight, the Sinn Fein president said: ‘I think the European Union needs to take a stand in respect of Ireland in the same way that it supported the reunification of Germany.

"The European Union needs to take a stand in respect of Ireland in the same way that it supported the reunification of Germany." Sinn Féin President @MaryLouMcDonald tells Policy Editor @lewis_goodall what a Sinn Féin government would ask of the EU.#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/pUCYXdRuXz — BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) February 10, 2020

‘In the same way that it has a position on Cyprus, for example, and a positive approach to the reunification of that country.

‘I think it would be correct for our allies, for our friends, for anybody who cares about this country and our people, it is plain to see that partition and division has been a disaster, and that reunification, reconciliation and good relationships with our next-door neighbours is the way forward.’

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said that he believes it is only a matter of time before a referendum on reunification is held following the recent support for Sinn Fein.