VOTERS have ranked Social Democrat leader Holly Cairns as the most popular party leader in the country, writes Jackie Keogh.

The Cork South West TD, who dramatically entered local politics with a one-vote lead in the 2019 local elections, has a personal approval rating of 47%, according to the Business Post Red C Poll.

According to the opinion poll, the Social Democrat party is also on the up, by two points, bringing its support to 10%.

Deputy Cairns told The Southern Star that the party is on the ascent following historic by-elections that saw Daniel Ennis elected as a new TD elected for the party.  

'When I took over as leader of the Social Democrats, I said I was unashamedly ambitious for the future of this party,’ she said.

‘Since then, the party has gone from strength to strength. 

'It’s clear that people who are looking for an alternative to this Government are increasingly looking to the Social Democrats to provide that alternative,' she added.

Commenting on her own popularity rating, the Social Democrat leader said: 'It is really humbling but the truth is no political leader does anything alone. 

'Those results are really down to the work of all of our committed elected representatives, like Cllr Ann Bambury and Cllr Isobel Towse, and the conversations we are having with people all over the country.

'My job now is to continue to build on this incredible momentum and stand a candidate in every constituency in the next general election.’