On Tuesday, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns returned to the helm of her political party for a think-in dominated by the controversy over TD Eoin Hayes.

The previous night, Mr Hayes issued an apology for wearing brown make-up on his face and hands while dressed up as former US president Barack Obama, at a party 16 years ago.

Mr Hayes was previously suspended from the Social Democrats last December after it emerged he had issued misleading information about when he sold his shares in Palantir, a company he worked with which has been linked to the Israeli military. He was readmitted to the party over the summer.

Ms Cairns said she was “hugely disappointed and annoyed” about the ‘blackface’ incident but has not yet revealed whether her colleague will face disciplinary actions.

How will the Social Democrats respond to this latest scandal and could they suspend the Dublin Bay South TD for a second time?

And how has the Social Democrats fared as an opposition political party during its leader’s maternity leave?

Today, on In The News, Holly Cairns’s return from maternity leave was spoiled by another embarrassing controversy involving Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes.

Irish Times political correspondent Jack Horgan-Jones discusses the fallout from the Hayes photograph and Cairns’ return to party leadership.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Andrew McNair and Declan Conlon.

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