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Sat 03 Mar 2007Green surge could burst the SF bubble as it turns SouthSinn Féin knows the value its Northern Ireland profile adds to its politics in the Republic. The party is skilfully exploiting the dividend which flows from the proximity of the elections on each side of the Border. Once the polling stations closed in the Assembly elections on Wednesday night, Sinn Féin's focus immediately switched to the forthcoming general election in the Republic, writes Noel Whelan.With no more votes to be got for their candidates North of the Border, their choice of spokespeople for election count programmes through Thursday and Friday owed everything to southern political considerations. Mary Lou McDonald, who is now fronting their endeavour to win a seat in Dublin Central, was their representative on RTÉ's election coverage. On UTV their spokesman was Pearse Doherty, who would have been unrecognisable to most Northern Ireland viewers but will, because of this exposure, be better known in Donegal where the channel has a relatively large viewership.