News

  The new Taoiseach must halt the appointment of the former Attorney General as a judge and come before the Dáil next week to answer questions on all the circumstances surrounding the filling of the Court of Appeal vacancy, the Social Democrats’ co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said today. Deputy Shortall said: “This issue is a […]

Small increases to the weekly payments for asylum seekers living in direct provision are no substitute for fundamental reforms to make the asylum process more efficient and humane, the Social Democrats’ Limerick representative has said. Sarah Jane Hennelly, who has worked professionally with migrants and refugees in Limerick city, stated: “This week’s announced increases in […]

The new Minister for Housing must extend emergency rent assistance measures nationwide to prevent homelessness caused by rising rents, the Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said today. Deputy Murphy made her comments as the latest figures show that private sector rents grew by 7.37 per cent across the country in the past year. The […]

The devastating blaze at Grenfell Tower in London must serve as a wake-up call for Irish authorities that are failing to address serious fire safety concerns, Dublin Bay North Social Democrats Cllr Cian O’Callaghan said today. Cllr O’Callaghan said: “Since their construction during the boom years it has emerged that several housing estates in Dublin […]

The government’s nomination of Attorney General Máire Whelan as a Court of Appeal judge smacks of hypocrisy and cronyism, according to the Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD. Deputy Shortall said: “This naked political appointment is the height of hypocrisy from a government that is supposed to be introducing a law to take politics out […]

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy has said that the latest Garda infighting scandal between civilian head of Human Resources John Barrett and Garda personnel has once again highlighted the absolute necessity to urgently repeal the Official Secrets Act and replace it with legislation that strikes a balance between the vital aims of maintaining the security […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has hit out at comments made by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin today regarding the speaking time allocated to smaller parties in the Dáil. Deputy Murphy described his proposals as an attempt to silence opposition and said that Fiánna Fail effectively want to control both sides of the House […]

Irish Water’s proposed works on the Vartry reservoir should not go ahead until a full environmental impact assessment is undertaken, Social Democrats’ Wicklow County Councillor Jennifer Whitmore said today. Cllr Whitmore was commenting ahead of An Bord Pleanála’s oral hearing into the planned €200m scheme which opens tomorrow [Monday 12th June 2017] in the Glenview Hotel, Co Wicklow, and is […]

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy has today highlighted a parliamentary reply that she has received from Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor in relation to resources for the ODCE. In the reply the Minister makes clear that prior to embarking on the Sean Fitzpatrick case, the ODCE were given every opportunity as far back as 2011 to […]

The hospitalisation of 11 workers at the new incinerator at Poolbeg after an uncontrolled release raises serious questions about its safe operating, Social Democrats Councillor Cian O’Callaghan said today. Dublin Bay North Cllr. O’Callaghan said: “This incident is deeply concerning, particularly given that the plant has been up and running for barely a week. It […]