Catherine Murphy TD (66) is the co-founder and joint leader of the Social Democrat Party, and has been a TD for Kildare North since 2011 when she was elected as an Independent.

She had previously served as a Independent TD between 2005 and 2007, and has lived in Leixlip for over 40 years.

She has previously been a member of the Workers Party, Democratic Left, and the Labour Party, although resigned from the latter in 2003.