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Reported NBP review findings raise more questions than answers

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 […]

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Fine Gael must square tax cut pledges with solving crises in health and housing

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 […]

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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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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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Minister Breen’s Refusal to Answer PQ Leads to Formal Complaint by Catherine Murphy

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy has lodged an official complaint with the Ceann Comhairle’s office following a refusal by Minister Pat Breen’s office to answer, in the specified timeframe, a parliamentary question she had asked regarding his engagements with Mr David McCourt and bidders in the National Broadband Plan process. “It is exceptionally unusual for […]

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SocDems urge Yes vote to rid Constitution of blasphemy offence

The Social Democrats today called for a Yes vote in next week’s referendum to remove the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution on the grounds that it is outdated, obsolete and unnecessary. “The removal of the offence of blasphemy is yet one more step along the way to the full separation of Church and State.” […]

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PQ replies reveal ‘open door’ policy towards Enet officials in Government Buildings

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy has received a parliamentary reply showing that the former Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, met with representatives of Enet including PR advisor to Enet, Eoin O’Neachtain, in December 2016, to discuss Enet’s management of the Municipal Area Networks (MANs) just 3 months before former Minister for Communications Denis Naughten made […]

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