News

There are just two public toilets in Dublin city centre – this is clearly an untenable situation for the summer months The OPW should open its public buildings to increase the provision of restroom facilities in Dublin city centre, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon TD. Deputy Gannon stated: “The inadequate provision of public […]

The Irish people deserve competence and efficiency from their government at a time of national crisis. Instead, they have chaos and confusion. The government’s mandatory quarantine system has descended into chaos less than three weeks after it was set up, according to Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall. “Last night, the government’s mandatory quarantine system had […]

Social Democrats co-leader, and PAC Vice Chairperson, Catherine Murphy TD has queried whether the imminent appointment of Robert Watt, as permanent Secretary General of the Department of Health on a salary of €292,000, was always a fait accompli. “Taoiseach Micheál Martin personally asked Mr Watt to transfer from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform […]

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 […]

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 […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has strongly endorsed the calls of women and families affected by the CervicalCheck crisis for swift implementation of the detailed recommendations of the Scally report published today. “Dr Scally’s report lifts the lid on what is an exceptionally paternalistic culture within elements of the medical profession. It is incumbent […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has welcomed today’s adoption by the government of the Sláintecare health reform – but questioned its urgency in implementing it. “Today’s announcement is a resounding endorsement of the cross-party Sláintecare vision for a universal, single-tier health system.” Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has welcomed today’s adoption by the […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said the Minister for Health must provide clear assures that all publicly funded hospitals – including those connected to religious orders – will provide all legal healthcare services, including abortion services. “The Minister for Health needs to scotch any suggestions that patients will be denied vital services that […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said the Minister for Health must come clean about the government’s commitment to the Sláintecare health reform plan which has cross-party support. The Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance need to accept that the reform programme will need a dedicated funding stream of its own, and if they […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called on the Minister for Health to intervene to compel the HSE to release smear slides to women affected by the CervicalCheck controversy so they can be independently reviewed. “It is now time for the government to commit to fully funding Sláintecare. We are still waiting on the […]