Social Democrats willing to discuss coalition with 'any party', says leader Holly Cairns 

Social Democrats Leader Holly Cairns has spent the year aiming to attract disaffected or politically homeless voters, saying that her ascension to the role has been 'exhausting, exhilarating and exciting', as well as 'a huge privilege'.  Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins 

The Social Democrats would discuss coalition with any party, but will maintain red lines on Sláintecare, housing and disability services, leader Holly Cairns says.

The party holds its national conference on Friday and Saturday, the first since Ms Cairns was elected as leader in March of last year. The event in Dublin's University College Dublin (UCD) will see an address from the Palestinian ambassador Wahba Abdalmajid on Friday, before Ms Cairns gives her leaders' address on Saturday evening.

Ms Cairns has spent the year aiming to attract disaffected or politically homeless voters, saying that her ascension to the role has been "exhausting, exhilarating and exciting", as well as "a huge privilege". 

While much of the discussions around the future of the Social Democrats has focused on whether the party would merge with the Labour Party, Ms Cairns told The Irish Examiner that is a non-starter.

"To put it simply, we have no intention of merging with any other party. That's just the reality. There's nothing really more to say about it," she said. 

She added that there was no concerted effort to recruit former Labour members but that the party "is always recruiting members".

However, that is not to say that Ms Cairns sees the Social Democrats as a party of opposition. She says she intends to speak to any party after the next general election should the Social Democrats be approached, with no coalition off the table.

I will talk to all of the parties. Nobody goes into politics, I don't think, to go into opposition. We really do want to go into government and introduce social democratic policies. That's the aim. 

"We won't do that for the sake of it either. It absolutely will be about those discussions for a programme for government and we have a number of red lines."

The first of those red lines is a speedier implementation of Sláintecare, the aim for universal single-tier healthcare.

Ms Cairns says that this is "not about jobs for us" and she would not demand her party hold the portfolio in a hypothetical future government. 

She also cites more decisive action on climate change and disability services, adding that the Housing For All plan would have to be changed.

"[There would have to be a major change in approach with a laser focus on the delivery of affordable purchase homes and the delivery of social homes. And then of course, the private sector has a really important role to play in in the in the kind of supply. We talk about the importance of supply which is so important, but at the heart of the crisis is an affordability crisis."