As part of Newstalk's Election Coverage, The Moncrieff Show has been testing some of the candidates in a series of quick-fire questions that they will likely not be asked anywhere else.

On today's show it was the turn of vice president of Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald, who is running in Dublin Central.

Do you have a side of the bed that you sleep on? Yes I do - the left-hand side. I will always head for the left-hand side of the bed, and I would be very upset if I were to find anybody else in the left-hand side of my bed

Have you ever been drunk in the Dáil bar? No - I've been in the Dáil bar a handful of times, I have never actually been in the member's bar

Your teenage crush Sting - I still love Sting, he's still kind of a crush of mine

Do you give blood? No - I went to give blood once and at the time I was suffering from anemia so they didn't take it

Pet hates Litter, derelict buildings and bullying - I detest bullies

Are you allergic to anything? No, except maybe Fine Gael - I'm allergic to them

Least favourite household chore Ironing, I hate ironing

Have you ever broken the law? I have perhaps parked illegally a couple of times

What do you hate about canvassing? The rain

If you could press the ejector seat on one TD, who would it be? There would be many - but I think I would have to say An Taoiseach Enda Kenny

Your biggest regret I started and never finished a PhD thesis - it will bug me forever

Your guilty pleasure Wholenut bars

The last time you lied I try not to lie - can I lie now and say that I never lie?

The last film you saw in the cinema I can tell you it was a kid's film

Do you collect anything? I collect lots of stuff that I shouldn't collect, I'm a terrible hoarder

Do you get a flake in your 99? Oh yes (but no red sauce)

If you could elect any person from any other political party, who? I like Clare Daly, I think she's very competent, I think she's a great speaker, I think she's very passionate

Last time you dropped change into a homeless person's cup Yesterday

Have you witnessed sexism in the Dáil? Yes - the first response I gave to a budget speech...I think I was heckled 70 times. I'm absolutely convinced to this day that had I been a man, you could certainly cut the heckling in half

What one superpower would you like? I like the stretchy superpower so you could walk at incredible pace and reach anything at any part of your house

Your favourite pizza toppings Pepperoni, peppers and cheese

Karaoke song I sang infamously once 'La Bamba'

How did you do in the Leaving Cert? I did the Leaving Cert twice, because I spectacularly under-performed the first time round

The first thing you would do if you won the lotto? Die of shock. I have won a raffle once - do you know what I won? Kitchen roll...

Have you a nickname? A lot of people call me 'ML', some people call me 'Lou Lou' - but most people just call me Mary or people just think my name is 'Mary Lou' and they forget about the 'McDonald'. Once famously a man came up to me and said 'How are you, Mary Mcalou?'

What did you want to be when you grew up? I thought it would be good to be a doctor at one stage

What posters did you have on your wall as a teenager? Abba and Spandau Ballet

Your favourite political slogan 'Better with Sinn Féin'

Listen to the full interview below: