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Central Bank ignoring the plight of long-term renters

The Social Democrats spokesperson on Consumer Affairs and Political Director Anne-Marie McNally has said that the latest Daft.ie report once again proves that those stuck in long-term renting require a different approach in relation to Central Bank mortgage rules as they apply to long-term renters. “The effect of trapping long-term renters in high rents is […]

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Government’s sticking plaster approach to hospital trolley crisis will only make things worse – Shortall

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today attacked the government’s ‘sticking plaster’ approach to the crisis in our health service. “This latest spike in the numbers of people waiting for hospital beds is a direct consequence of the government’s sticking plaster approach to the crisis in our health service. Constant firefighting is not the solution […]

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Paper trails are vital for acountability, says Catherine Murphy TD

Catherine Murphy TD outlines our proposals to combat ‘off the record’ government with a new legal duty on senior officials to make and keep written records of meetings with ministers. A legal duty to document meetings, with sanctions for failing to do so, would put an end to ‘off the record’ government. Opinion: Catherine Murphy […]

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Shortall raises fresh questions and concerns over safety at schools

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD, has raised fresh questions and concerns about the 42 schools constructed by Western Building Systems which are currently being assessed for structural defects. We need answers to these questions for anxious parents, teachers and other school staff who have spent the mid-term break concerned about whether they will have […]

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Catherine Murphy calls for full and immediate release of meeting records

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy has received a further parliamentary reply regarding former Minister Michael Noonan’s meeting with representatives of Enet including PR adviser to Enet, Eoin O’Neachtain, in December 2016. “It is not in the public interest for the department to withhold this very basic request for information or tangle it in bureaucratic red […]

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Department of Education must speed up schools’ safety assessments

Social Democrats’ Spokesperson for Children, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore, has said the Department of Education must ensure that structural inspections on all 42 schools built by Western Building Systems will be concluded before the end of the mid-term break. “All affected schools need to know with certainty that these assessments will be carried out within the […]

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Minister must answer questions over schools’ shut down

Responding to reports today that two Dublin schools have been shut down after structural problems were discovered in the buildings, Social Democrats Councillor Cian O’Callaghan said: “There is no excuse for the inaction by the Department – there should have been immediate inspection and audits of all similar schools that were built by Western Building […]

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