Holly Cairns
Spokesperson for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Rural Development; Social Justice; and Disability.
Meet Holly
Holly Cairns is Leader of the Social Democrats and a TD for Cork South-West.
At 33, Holly is the youngest party leader in the Dáil. Like so many of her generation, Holly was forced to emigrate after the financial crash. She worked in disability services abroad before moving home to take on her family farm and business.
After campaigning locally to Repeal the 8th Amendment, Holly stood in the 2019 local elections. She won a seat on Cork County Council by a single vote and in 2020, she was elected as a TD.
Holly is an outspoken and passionate contributor to Dáil debates, from holding the government to account for locking an entire generation out of home ownership, to fighting for fairer compensation for survivors of mother and baby homes.
A farmer and an environmentalist, Holly is a firm believer in the need to diversify our agricultural sector in order to protect our biodiversity, improve our food security and secure a profitable future for Irish farming.
To the people out there who think, “There’s no point in voting”, “They’re all the same” and, “Nothing’s going to change”. I look forward to meeting you. I look forward to listening to you. I look forward to changing Ireland for the better, together.
Holly’s Priorities
- Take meaningful climate action underpinned by Just Transition principles.
- Radically increase the delivery of social and affordable housing.
- Ensure a sustainable, profitable future for the farming sector.
- Ratify the Optional Protocol of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- Ensure the full implementation of Sláintecare.
Get in touch
086 361 5830
Dáil Éireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
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Latest News
Workers in community and voluntary organisations have been abandoned by the Government
Government must immediately re-engage with Section 39 workers’ unions and end two-tier pay system Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has spoken out in support of Section 39 workers in community and voluntary sector organisations who are to commence indefinite strike action from Tuesday, October 17. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson on disability, said: […]
Read moreHolly Cairns visits Limerick as Cllr Elisa O’Donovan selected to run for Social Democrats in 2024 Local Elections
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has welcomed the selection of Cllr Elisa O’Donovan as the party’s Limerick City West candidate for the 2024 Local Elections. Deputy Cairns, who took over the leadership of the Social Democrats from co-founders Róisín Shortall and Catherine Murphy earlier this year, visited the city today to meet with members of […]
Read moreFailed Agriculture Policy Lies At The Heart Of RTÉ Cruelty Revelations
We cannot – and should not – tolerate a situation in which hundreds and thousands of calves are being bred to suffer from the moment of birth The shocking maltreatment of bull calves highlighted by RTÉ Investigates tonight is a direct consequence of Government policy to encourage intensification and expansion within the dairy sector, according […]
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