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Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has called for a renewed commitment to delivering tangible services to protect and empower members of Ireland’s LGBTQ community. Speaking on the 25th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality, Deputy Shortall paid tribute to campaigners including Senator Norris, former President Mary Robinson and former Minister for Justice Maura Geoghegan Quinn who […]

Social Democrats’ Spokesperson for Children, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore, has called for public health guidelines for parents on the use of computer games amid growing concerns about their addictive effects. Cllr Whitmore made the call following today’s recognition by the World Health Organisation of addiction to video games as a mental disorder. Cllr Whitmore said: “The […]

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy has once again highlighted the significant issues in relation to how waste is handled in this country. In advance of tonight’s RTÉ investigates programme on the waste industry and illegal dumping in Ireland, Catherine Murphy said this issue has been brewing for some years now and with mooted changes to […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has accused the government of callous inertia over Sláintecare health reforms, as new figures show that record numbers of people are on waiting lists for medical treatment. Deputy Shortall was commenting as the latest figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund show that more than 707,000 people are on […]

The Social Democrats have welcomed the passage tonight through the Dáil of our Bill to extend unpaid parental leave for working parents. The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017 allows parents to take a total of six months (26 weeks) unpaid leave from their jobs without their employment rights being affected. This is an increase on […]

Social Democrats from across the Fingal County Council area have today demanded that the next mayor of the county ends the outright ban on political meetings in community centres. Under current Fingal County Council policy, community centres may not be used for political meetings. The outgoing mayor, Labour’s Cllr Mary McCamley shut down a debate […]

Social Democrats Co-Leader Catherine Murphy has called on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to extend an official State invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Leilani Farha. Ms Farha visited Ireland this week on an academic visit rather than an official State visit. She explained that without being here in an official capacity she is […]

Speaking on foot of the publication on the Progress Report of the Scally Inquiry, co-leader of the Social Democrats, Róisín Shortall TD has expressed her disappointment with the slow progress of the report and the delays experienced by many of the women affected by the scandal when seeking their medical records. “The most significant finding […]

A Social Democrats’ private members bill to increase to six months the amount of unpaid parental leave available to working parents goes to final stage in the Dáil tomorrow, Wednesday 13th June. The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017 aims to help working families enjoy better work-life balance by permitting parents to spend more time caring […]

Social Democrats’ Councillor Cian O’Callaghan has said the dangerous use of quads and scramblers by teenagers and children has been allowed to reach epidemic levels. Speaking after a man was seriously injured when he was struck by a scrambler bike in Darndale Park at the weekend, the Dublin Bay North councillor said: “The misuse of […]