Sinn Féin promotes policies that “aren’t left wing” and has similar positions to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on tax, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has said.
Just weeks after sharing a platform with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald in the presidential campaign, Ms Cairns said the party “to a certain extent” promises the same large tax cuts and investment in public services as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
In an interview with The Irish Times, Ms Cairns said there were clear policy differences between her party and Sinn Féin.
She said she would consider the environmental case for water charges, leaving the door open to a policy that could strain relations with other left-wing parties that campaigned with the Social Democrats during the presidential election.
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Ms Cairns’s party was one of the first to support Catherine Connolly’s campaign to become the next president of Ireland. The united left-wing campaign, which was later supported by Sinn Féin, was presented as the foundation for a possible future left-wing government.
“There are things that we don’t align with Sinn Féin on, and climate’s a really good example. There’s more,” said Ms Cairns.
“We’re more compatible with them than parties on the right of centre,” she said, adding that “some of their policies aren’t left wing”.
Asked if the Social Democrats would consider making the case for water charges again, Ms Cairns replied: “It’s something I’ll look into. I’m not going to give you a half-baked answer, because it wouldn’t be a good one, necessarily. So I might have to think about it, look into it, and get back to you.”
Ms Cairns, who is from a farming background in the Cork South-West constituency, said she would rather lose her seat than adopt a more popular position on the nitrates derogation. This week, she was criticised by Fianna Fáil for saying the Government is attempting to hang on to the nitrates derogation for dear life.
“I’d rather lose my seat than say something that I don’t believe in, because I didn’t go into politics to do that,” she said.
In a wide-ranging interview marking her return to politics in September after having her first baby in November 2024, Ms Cairns criticised commentator Ivan Yates for remarks he had made about the length of her maternity leave.
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On an episode of the Path to Power podcast in August, Mr Yates claimed the length of her maternity leave demonstrated a lack of seriousness by the Soc Dems. “She never says anything about anything … she’s actually disappeared for 12 months,” said Mr Yates.
Ms Cairns described the comments as “quite attention-seeking”, saying she does not think she gives them much attention.
“It’s 2025 ... comments like that are so ridiculous and so unhelpful.”
Ms Cairns confirmed her party will “definitely” be running its own candidate in the upcoming Galway West byelection to fill president-elect Catherine Connolly’s seat.
She said the party will be asking voters to vote left and transfer left.
