Holly Cairns on leading a party and raising a child

This is not about telling you who to vote for. It is a conversation about motherhood in a place we rarely hear it spoken about.

This week on The Motherload, Dominique sits down with Holly Cairns, leader of the Social Democrats and TD for Cork South West.Holly gave birth to her daughter on polling day in November 2024 and has since returned to one of the most demanding roles in the country, leading her party while navigating early motherhood.In this episode, she shares the reality behind that experience, from birth and postnatal recovery to returning to work and trying to secure childcare in a system under so much pressure.

The conversation also explores the broader challenges facing families in Ireland, including the childcare crisis, women’s healthcare, education, disability supports, SNA’s and what it takes to keep mothers in the workforce.

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