Fixing housing, taming social media and quality public services; Holly Cairns "unashamedly ambitious" plan for the Social Democrats.
Party conferences are events like no other.
Infused with optimism and enthusiasm, attendees glow in the positivity they themselves generate for their politics and their policies.
Thus it was for the Social Democrats national conference in Cork this weekend.
It was the largest national conference for the party in its 11-year history, with 450 attendees from around Ireland.
In her leader's speech to a packed house this evening, Ms Cairns made no secret of her ambitions to build on recent electoral successes, positive opinion poll results and harnessing the electoral wave that brought victory in the presidential election.
She told delegates: "We will build on the legacy of the (Catherine) Connolly coalition and strengthen relationships on the left.
"We will build on the excellent work our councillors and TDs are doing in their communities. And when the next election comes we will stand a candidate in every constituency in the country."
More immediately she hoped the Social Democrats' message will bring them success in the upcoming by-elections too, with party candidates already in the field.
"Lets pull out all the stops to get Míde (Nic Fhionnlaoich) and Dan (Ennis) elected.
Join their campaigns, spread the word…because time after time we've shown that our politics of equality, inclusion, honesty and above all hope really resonates," she said.
Read more: Holly Cairns criticises Government for 'endless doom loop of failure' on housing policy
Tellingly when her keynote speech concluded, the two candidates were first on the stage to congratulate her.
The speech was roundly critical of the Government for constantly saying her party has no plans to fix housing or that their plans are too radical.
She spoke at length on the Social Democrats' housing policy…protecting renters with a rent freeze, an end to no fault evictions, a state construction company and delivery of social housing.
Watch: Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns says Government housing policies not working
She said the Government has failed to tackle the cost of living and has allowed the migration debate to become toxic and "erase the people at the heart of it".
She also referenced the need for a special €400 euro winter payment for people with disabilities, and a second tier of child benefit "to lift thousands of children out of poverty".
The party leader also had lots to say about current issues the country and the Government and the country face.
She said: "For too long this Government has allowed social media and tech companies to regulate themselves , which effectively means no regulation at all, no enforcement and no safeguards."
To much applause she said it’s time to "turn off the toxic algorithms feeding our children harmful content, time to prosecute the social media companies that are clearly breaking the law".
She also called for legislation that gives everyone the digital copyright for their own voices and bodies.
Watch: Time to prosecute social media companies that are clearly breaking the law, says Cairns
The Social Democrats are not opposing the Taoiseach’s visit to the White House next month, but Ms Cairns said he must stand up to President Donald Trump.
"It is clear a policy of appeasement has not worked with the Trump administration. When the Taoiseach visits the Oval office, he must make the position of the Irish people clear. We stand alongside our EU allies, we are not joining the Board of Peace and we do not bow down to bullies," she said.
She also said Irish neutrality has to be protected and on the Triple Lock, issued a challenge to the Government: "Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael want to remove the Triple lock.
"They claim they have a mandate to do it. So I would like to say to them-prove it. Put it to the people and let us vote on it."
Watch: Cairns says 'we must protect our neutrality
Taking responsible climate action to which she linked recent flooding also featured in the speech which was well received by the party members.
There was nothing in the speech about job creation, taxation policy, business, farming or attracting inward investment to Ireland.
Implementing the policies the party leader did reference would involve getting into a future coalition government.
Talking to delegates in the Silver Springs Conference Centre, it is clear many have the appetite to do just that. Although not at any cost.
Ms Cairns hasn’t ruled out any party at this stage as a potential coalition partner. Members are keeping an open mind too.
Notwithstanding the fact the next general election is probably four years away, party TD Jennifer Whitmore said getting into a governing coalition is where it’s at.
"Yes we really want to get into government. Obviously, it did not work out the last time but our aim is to be in because that’s where we’re going to be able to make decisions and to influence how people are treated," she said.
Ms Whitmore said their attitude is pragmatic and their pre-requisites for government not unreasonable.
She said: "We are realistic as well. In the last election we had those five red lines which if you think about it were actually very achievable. (50,000 homes p.a, Sláintecare, public childcare system, climate action, a Minister for Disability)
"We did that on purpose because we wanted to go in. We know what we want to achieve and we will work with whoever we need to achieve that because it’s about people’s needs."
A party’s influence is fundamentally based on electoral strength and with 11 TDs and a senator, the Social Democrats have grown steadily since its foundation in 2015.
Their councillors’ number is currently 35, up from 19 prior to the local election.
A series of recent opinion polls gives them between 7% and 10% of the first preference vote, up significantly on their 2024 general election performance of 4.8%.
The polls, if replicated in an election, would see them placed well ahead of their natural rivals in the Labour Party and likely to add to their TDs numbers.
At this party conference it was clear the Social Democrats see themselves in growth mode.
The by-elections in May will be the first test to show if the electorate agrees.
