Eoin Hayes will run for Social Democrats at next general election, party confirms
Cian O’Callaghan, the party’s deputy leader, insisted that Mr Hayes will run in the next general election. File picture: Stephen Collins
Controversial Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes will contest the next general election under the party banner, its leadership has confirmed.
It comes as the Dublin Bay South TD was missing from the opening doorstep of the party’s think-in, despite the event being held in his constituency.
Mr Hayes was expelled from the Social Democrats in December 2024, just weeks after being elected, after he misled the media and the party about shares he held in Palantir, a US tech company which works with the IDF.
He was later readmitted last July but found himself in hot water shortly afterwards when photos emerged of him doing “blackface” dressed as former US president Barack Obama at a fancy-dress party in 2009.
Earlier this week, published a story accusing him of “boasting” about leading a team at a tech company which cut 200 jobs while working at Wayflyer between March 2022 and December 2022.
Scroll for results in your area
Last month, Mr Hayes wrote an opinion piece for the criticising the reaction to tech lay-offs and stated that “losing your livelihood is one of the most traumatic events a person can go through”.
At the party’s think-in at the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland on Merrion Square, Dublin, Cian O’Callaghan, the party’s deputy leader, insisted that Mr Hayes will run in the next general election.
“He'll certainly be running for the Social Democrats in the next election,” he said.
Read More
When asked about Mr Hayes’ comments on job losses, Mr O’Callaghan said that it is a “very, very traumatic and worrying experience for anybody” who is going to lose their job or is at risk of losing their job.
“Eoin has clarified since then that his role was [that] he was given a job around financial modelling,” he continued.
“He carried out that role, and that he wasn't involved in the decision-making process around who, who was laid off and who wasn't.”
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns was absent from the think-in following medical advice not to travel from Cork to Dublin during her pregnancy.
Mr O’Callaghan confirmed that it is hoped that she will be back in the coming weeks.
Ms Cairns is taking her maternity leave at a time when the Social Democrats are on 10% support, fourth behind Sinn Féin, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, respectively, according to the latest Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll.
The Cork South-West TD is the most popular leader on 40%, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin on 37%.
Asked how the party was going to keep up this momentum in her absence, Mr O’Callaghan said he was confident they would be able to.
“We have a very strong parliamentary party team, and we're continuing to grow as a party,” he said.
“And yes, look, Holly is very popular; she resonates with voters. But I think the parliamentary party team we have is also resonating with voters.
“This should just be a normal part and parcel of politics. Women need to be able to go on maternity leave, and political parties need to be able to choose leaders that can go on maternity leave."
“That's what we've done. We're very happy to be able to support Holly, and we're very confident that over the coming Dáil term that we will continue to punch above our weight.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
