News

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has today strongly backed the growing campaign for the new National Maternity Hospital to be publicly owned and run. “I fully support the growing campaign of civil society organisations and individuals who are rightly demanding that the state should own and control this important asset which will be a […]

Táiniste, Minister, Taoiseach, in previous Brexit debates in this chamber  both I and many others have repeatedly urged that in the context of the negotiations that the British government spell out exactly what their plans to avoid a hard border in Ireland would actually look like. “While there is an acceptance that this deal, if […]

Social Democrats Co-Leader Catherine Murphy has said she finds it curious that the Smyth report into the National Broadband Plan has reportedly concluded that the process was not compromised despite the former Communications Minister Denis Naughten, and indeed the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, conceding that repeated contacts between Mr Naughten & the last remaining bidder throughout […]

The Social Democrats today challenged Fine Gael to spell out how it would tackle under-funding in essential public services while committing to fresh tax cuts. “The country is facing enormous challenges due to the chronic under-funding of essential public services and infrastructure that benefit everyone.” The Social Democrats today challenged Fine Gael to spell out […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called on the Minister for Health to direct the HSE to carry out an audit of women who have been given the all-clear based on tests for a specific gene which puts them at a high risk of cancer. “It’s vital that all women who have undergone the […]

Social Democrats Spokeswoman for Children, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore, has backed calls for schools to record and report how often they impose reduced school hours on children. “The Department of Education itself says reduced timetables should be used only in exceptional circumstances and never as a behavioural management tool.” Social Democrats Spokeswoman for Children, Councillor Jennifer […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD today called for a government guarantee that women affected by the Cervical Check crisis will get swift access to their smear slides. “Seven women have now come forward to me to tell me that they are waiting inordinate amounts of time for access to their slides. This jars completely […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD to-leader welcomes tonights Brexit deal but cautions against premature optimism given the political instability caused by the deal in the UK “This step in reaching an agreement is very welcome progress. However, it would be naïve to ignore the political realities facing the deal in the current political environment […]

The Social Democrats have backed calls for the Central Bank to bring in strict controls on licensed money lenders to protect vulnerable consumers from being hit with exorbitant interest rates and charges. “It is downright wrong and unfair that the Central Bank is still allowing interest rates of up to 287% to be legally charged […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has called on the Minister for Justice to clarify if he has agreed an open-ended arrangement to cover the costs and damages of former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan in a civil action by Garda whistle-blower Maurice McCabe. “It is extremely galling for people to see the state providing and […]