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Social Democrats Open to All Parties as Cairns Sets Out Growth Push

The May contests in Galway West and Dublin Central will test whether rising poll numbers translate into seats under a housing-first agenda.

Overview

  • Holly Cairns said the party will speak with every party after the next election, explicitly including Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, while expressing a preference for a left-led government.
  • The party confirmed Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich in Galway West and Daniel Ennis in Dublin Central for May’s by-elections, with Cairns saying both have hit the ground running.
  • At the Cork conference, Cairns outlined housing measures such as a rent freeze, an end to no‑fault evictions, a state construction company and expanded social housing, and proposed mobilising Irish deposit savings to fund building.
  • RTÉ reporting shows the party polling at about 7–10% first preferences, up from its 2024 result, and Cairns said support has doubled since the general election.
  • Cairns urged the Taoiseach to confront President Donald Trump on St Patrick’s Day, rejected joining the USBoard of Peace’, and called for protecting neutrality and putting any Triple Lock change to a public vote.