News

Today’s Summer Economic Statement is another squandered opportunity by the government to deal with the enormous pressures facing our economy and society, the Social Democrats said today. The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said the setting up of a Rainy Day Fund at a time the housing, health and childcare needs of so many people […]

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy has called for an information campaign on waste recycling in light of the recent controversy regarding waste charges. Deputy Murphy said that the number one thing expressed to her during the media coverage on waste charges was confusion. She said people are confused about how the new charging regime will […]

The Social Democrats today publish draft laws to safeguard freedom of speech by abolishing the archaic offence of blasphemy. The two Private Members’ Bills will be introduced in the Dáil today by the party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD. One Bill provides for a referendum to repeal the blasphemy provision in the Constitution, while the other […]

Social Democrats member of the Public Accounts Committee, Catherine Murphy TD, has today welcomed the publication of the committee’s report into the third level education sector and urged swift implementation of its recommendations. Speaking as the report was launched today, Deputy Murphy said: “The lack of transparency in relation to the finances of third level […]

The latest sharp rise in house price inflation shows how urgently an affordable housing scheme is needed, Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said today. Deputy Murphy was commenting on Central Statistics Office figures which show that house sale prices rose by almost 12 per cent in the year to May 2017. This compares with […]

The fire safety review announced by Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster deliberately excludes social housing where fire risks are most serious, according to Social Democrats Cllr Cian O’Callaghan. Cllr O’Callaghan said the scope of the ongoing review is excessively narrow, focusing only on multi-storey buildings of five […]

The high costs of sending children to school need to be lifted so that parents are not being forced into debt to cover basics, the Social Democrats said today. Party co-leader Róisín Shortall TD was commenting on new research that shows that the average cost of primary school education is €766 a year. The Cost […]

The Social Democrats will this week introduce draft legislation to remove the obsolete offence of blasphemy from the Constitution and the Statue Book. The party will on Wednesday bring forward two separate Private Members’ Bills to ensure that Ireland’s legal framework enshrines full respect for freedom of speech. The country’s outdated blasphemy laws recently sparked […]

A new International Civil Service Effectiveness Index, launched today (see link here), has highlighted several deficiencies in the Irish Civil Service. Comparing the Civil Service of 31 countries, Ireland comes in 6th last. Ireland scored high in Human Resource Management and Tax Administration but low in terms of regulation, risk management, social security administration and openness. Róisín Shortall […]

Information on language skills of Gardaí is “not readily available” according to a parliamentary question asked on behalf of Aengus Ó Maoláin, Social Democrat representative for Castleknock and Blanchardstown. According to the Minister for Justice’s response to the question, asked by Róisín Shortall TD on behalf of Ó Maoláin, An Garda Síochána uses expensive interpreters […]