News

The latest revelations of falsified Garda breath test figures are indicative of a force in crisis with deep and pervasive cultural problems that cannot be addressed without management changes, Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said today. Deputy Shortall said: “The emergence today of an additional half a million falsified Garda breath tests shows that […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy has reiterated the party’s belief that water refunds should be paid net of the conservation grant.  According to the Social Democrats the number of people who would have paid the water charge and not claimed the conservation grant is minimal and therefore it would be very easy to deal with […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said that the disgracefully high number of patients on hospital trolleys can only be tackled once and for all with the wholesale overhaul of our health system as set out in the Sláintecare reform plan. Deputy Shortall said: “The summer is barely over and already we have record […]

The Department of Education has responded to fire safety concerns in five primary schools at a snail’s pace – putting children and teachers at unnecessary risk, Social Democrats Councillor Cian O’Callaghan said today. Cllr O’Callaghan was commenting after the Department revealed that fire safety audits it commissioned found breaches of standards at five recently-built primary […]

The impact of homelessness on school age children living in emergency accommodation should be examined by the Ombudsman for Children, Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has said. Deputy Murphy made the call as the new school term begins and thousands of homeless children are traveling to school from emergency accommodation including hotels and B&Bs. […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has called on the Minister for Health to provide assurances about the independent clinical governance of the new National Maternity Hospital. Deputy Shortall said: “It is reassuring to learn that the Department of Health is close to finalising an agreement that means the new hospital building will be owned […]

Opinion by Cllr Dermot Looney: Few of us need reminding of the worrying increase in childhood obesity. According to the body Safefood, one in four Irish children is overweight or obese. An astonishing 80% of children in the Republic do not meet the guidelines of at least one hour of physical activity per day. Last […]

The public will only have confidence in the proposed new system for handling complaints of judicial misconduct if the outcomes of hearings are a matter of public record and the names of reprimanded judges are published, Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said today. Deputy Shortall said the Social Democrats will table amendments in the […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has raised strong concerns about the confidentiality and safety of citizens’ data held on Public Services Cards, which are currently required by a private US company which operates driver theory tests in Ireland. Deputy Shortall said: “The Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty said today that some 50 public […]

The government’s own target for building social housing has entered the realm of make-believe, with the admission today by the head of the State’s Housing Agency that a key deadline will not be met, Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has said. Deputy Murphy made her comments following remarks by Mr John O’Connor in an […]