News

The Social Democrats have confirmed that implementation of Sláintecare within the next five years will be a red line issue for the party in any forthcoming programme for government negotiations. The party set out their position at the launch of their Health and Social Care policy today, which was attended by health spokesperson Róisín Shortall, […]

The Social Democrats today held an event in Cork to set out the party’s vision for healthcare. Cllr Pádraig Rice, who is running for the party in Cork South-Central, said: “We need a healthcare system that is based on need and not ability to pay. When you are sick you shouldn’t have to pay €60 […]

The Social Democrats today published their 10-point plan to make life better for renters in Ireland. The Renters’ Charter was launched by Rory Hearne, the Social Democrats candidate in Dublin North-West, and Róisín Shortall, the party’s finance spokesperson. The charter commits to building 25,000 affordable rental homes over a five-year period, with average rents in […]

Rory Hearne, the Social Democrats general election candidate in Dublin North-West, has urged the National Transport Authority (NTA) to reverse its plans to axe the Number 11 route as part of BusConnects changes due to come into effect next month. Dr Hearne said: “Under changes to be introduced in late November, the Numbers 4, 11 […]

An analysis of Budget 2025 by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) provides further evidence that the Government have prioritised electoral gain over lifting vulnerable groups out of poverty, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “Despite the headline grabbing short-term measures announced on Tuesday, the ESRI has warned that poverty among the […]

Today’s budget is a giveaway on steroids that is bad for the public and bad for the State, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “Budget 2025 has just one overriding purpose – self-preservation of the Government parties. “It bears all the hallmarks of a Bertie Budget – hardly surprising when you consider that […]

The Social Democrats have launched their Alternative Budget 2025 – titled ‘Building Services, Building Communities’ – which focuses on investment in public services to drive down the cost of living, targets support at those who need it most and prioritises children and families. Investing in affordable housing; creating a public model of childcare; increasing parent’s […]

The Minister for Health must immediately clarify if and when he became aware of a confidential report, which raises serious questions about the HSE’s readiness to commission and operate the National Children’s Hospital, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “While the Minister has been extremely keen to foist all the blame on developer […]

The fingerprints of three health ministers, and two Taoisigh, are all over this disaster – Leo Varadkar, Simon Harris and Stephen Donnelly The government is attempting to foist all blame for the ongoing fiasco with the National Children’s Hospital on developer BAM in an effort to evade responsibility for successive government’s mishandling of this critical […]

There must be a reckoning for the political system, which failed to respond to an obvious crisis in the midwest, and allowed the population there to be put at risk There must be accountability, at political and hospital management level, for the circumstances at University Hospital Limerick that led to the tragic death of Aoife […]