Not with Sinn Fein. They fear exactly what is happening anyway--Sinn Fein does have an in with their voter base of left leaners. The RoI Labour Party doesn't have a northern party, which makes them very vulnerable in the future of the island. And make no mistake, that is what this is about. The future of the island of Ireland, not just politics as usual in the Republic on the one hand, and the north on the other.

Socialists (well, sort of), Greens and Sinn Fein are the only island-wide parties. Eventually, that IS going to make a difference.