News

Following the recent announcement by the government that it intends to hold a plebiscite on Directly Elected Mayors for cities, Social Democrats Councillor Cian O’Callaghan said: “I’m a strong supporter of a Directly Elected Mayor for Dublin – I was the only councillor in Fingal County Council to speak in favour of this proposal when […]

The Government has been accused of double standards by Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD over its refusal to reverse the unfair 2012 cuts affecting state pensions for women. Speaking ahead of a Dáil debate tonight, Deputy Shortall said: “The changes to state pension introduced in 2012 have resulted in an estimated 36,000 people, mainly […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy has today urged Government to accept an amendment tabled by her to the Water Bill 2017. The amendment seeks to make Irish Water answerable to the Comptroller and Auditor General regarding its finances. Deputy Murphy has received a reply to a parliamentary question which indicates that a subvention of €753 […]

Social Democrats joint leader Róisín Shortall TD has welcomed the announcement that Mr Donal de Buitléir will chair an expert group to examine the impact of separating private practice from the public hospital system, as recommended in the Sláintecare health reform plan. Deputy Shortall, who chaired the cross-party Oireachtas committee which produced the Sláintecare report, […]

Any group set up to examine the impact of separating private practice from the public hospital system must be fully independent and free from conflicts of interest, Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD cautioned today. Deputy Shortall was speaking as the Cabinet meets in Cork to discuss the Sláintecare blueprint for a reformed public health […]

The Social Democrats have accused the Finance Minister of crying crocodile tears while failing to address punitive rules that mean tens of thousands of women are losing out on pensions payments. The party’s joint leader Róisín Shortall TD said today: “The Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has admitted it is ‘bonkers and unbelievable’ that women […]

There is little or no tax benefit from Budget 2018 for 1.5 million income earners on less than €35,000, the joint leader of the Social Democrats Róisín Shortall TD said today. Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Shortall said: “Yesterday’s budget represented a scatter gun approach to the country’s finances. It lacked any kind of vision […]

The budget silence on removing primary school costs and on the rapidly escalating costs of going to third level means ever reducing chances of people fulfilling their education potential, according to the Social Democrats. Responding to today’s Budget announcement, Councillor Gary Gannon, Spokesperson on Education Equality and Access said: “Access to higher and further education […]

Despite the commitments in the Programme for Government to increase paid parental leave, broaden parental choice and increase supports for stay at home parents, there is nothing in Budget 2018 for children not in formal childcare, according to the Social Democrats. Speaking after today’s Budget announcement, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore, Spokesperson on Children, said: “The reality […]

Budget 2018 falls very far short of what is needed to implement the Sláintecare health reform plan, Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said today. Speaking immediately after the Budget was announced, Deputy Shortall said: “For the first time in history, the government had in front of it a fully costed plan for health reform […]