News

At tomorrow’s emergency summit of European leaders, the Taoiseach must condemn EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s decision to offer unqualified support to Israel’s ethnic cleansing in Gaza, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon said: “On Friday, Ursula von der Leyen had a valuable opportunity to make a positive […]

Budget 2024 missed an opportunity to make primary and secondary school education in Ireland genuinely free, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s education spokesperson, said: “Although the provision of free schoolbooks up to Junior Certificate level is welcome, it is baffling that the Government chose to take a […]

Social Democrats Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Gary Gannon has today (Monday, October 9) written to the Ceann Comhairle and the Oireachtas Business Committee requesting time be set aside in the Dáil this week to discuss the escalating violence in Israel and Gaza. Deputy Gannon said: “The Government must facilitate statements in the Dáil this week on […]

The impending withdrawal of voluntary overtime by gardaí next month underscores the fragility and inadequacy of the Minister for Justice’s policing plan for Dublin city centre, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who represents Dublin Central, said: “Following media reports of a spate of vicious assaults in Dublin during the summer, Minister […]

Absence of a defined budget for rehashed proposals is concerning  A new safety plan announced today by the Minister for Justice to tackle street crime in Dublin completely lacks substance and is full of rehashed proposals, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is a TD for Dublin Central, said: “While it […]

For this year’s intake of college students, the joy of receiving CAO offers has been replaced with a fear of not being able to find a place to live  This year’s cohort of third level entrants are facing the greatest student accommodation crisis in the history of the State, according to Social Democrats TD Gary […]

A directly-elected Dublin mayor with vision – and executive powers – is needed more than ever  Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has renewed his call for a directly-elected mayor for the capital after it emerged that Dublin City Council has yet to appoint a permanent replacement for its outgoing chief executive Owen Keegan. Deputy Gannon, […]

Dereliction, heavily littered streets and poor lighting are making our capital city feel unsafe Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has called for a multi-agency response to unacceptable levels of violent assaults in Dublin city centre. Deputy Gannon, who represents Dublin Central, said: “Last weekend’s unprovoked attack on Ukrainian actor Oleksandr Hrekov on Eden Quay is […]

The monopoly control of the Catholic Church on our primary schools is a relic from another era The Education Minister must review the school divestment programme after the Census revealed a sharp drop in the number of people who call themselves Catholic, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “The Census has revealed that the […]

Figures show that almost 60 per cent of family military accommodation is unoccupied  Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has called on the Government to reconsider its policy of not providing military family accommodation to members of the Defence Forces. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on Defence, said: “I was prompted to raise this […]