News

Making History: women stepping up to change Ireland The Social Democrats have made history by having the largest ever percentage of female candidates declared for a General Election in Ireland. As a significant political party in the Irish system, they are unique in fielding a slate in GE2020 which features a gender split of 55% female and […]

The Social Democrats today launched their policy on children, families, and work/life balance – ‘A New Deal for Parents; Getting it right for children, for families’.  Party spokesperson on Children, Wicklow Cllr and GE candidate Jennifer Whitmore – a working mother of four – and Dublin West Candidate Aengus Ó Maoláin Social Democrats GE candidate […]

The Social Democrats today reiterated their strong support for the campaign to stop the increase in the state pension age to 67 years from next year and subsequently to 68. Speaking in Finglas in her constituency of Dublin North West, co-leader Róisín Shortall said that the Government’s plan to increase the pension age would mean […]

‘A health service when you need it, as you need it’.  The Social Democrats will today launch their Health policy document; ‘A health service when you need it, as you need it’. Party Co-Leader Roísín Shortall said the current Irish health service is not set up to best meet the needs of people requiring healthcare. […]

The Social Democrats are today focussing on crime, with co-leader Róisín Shortall, in response to the shocking crimes in Drogheda and Dublin this week, highlighting the failures of investment in community policing and in communities, particularly disadvantaged communities, that have contributed to a growth in awful gangland activity. Shortall said: “The immediate, very serious gangland […]

Social Democrats Co-Leader Róisín Shortall has said she is angry but not surprised at the latest shootings in Dublin this lunchtime. She said that the pattern of tit-for-tat retaliation attacks is now almost an established pattern and one that is completely unacceptable in a civilised society. It is quite clear that we are dealing with […]

The Social Democrats have called for a cross-party delegation to come together with a singular focus on addressing the homelessness emergency across the country. The party’s Co-Leaders said that the situation was growing increasingly out of control and the tragic events of the last two days mean it is simply inhumane to continue along with […]

Social Democrats Co-Leader Róisín Shortall has reacted angrily to news today that Government have signed-off on a 1% across the board cut to key disability groups and services. She said the impacted organisations had been informed about the cut to their already overstretched budgets at the same time the government were clapping themselves on the […]

The co-leaders of the Social Democrats welcomed the calling of the General Election saying this election is a chance for people to change the direction Ireland is going in and called on people who hope for better to vote for better. Róisín Shortall TD said “It’s long past the time that this Government put their […]

The Social Democrats have come out in strong support of school secretaries represented by Fórsa, who will go on strike tomorrow following unsatisfactory negotiations with the Workplace Relations Commission. The current two-tier pay system leaves many school secretaries on unregulated, short-term contracts earning just €12,500 a year, a far cry from their counterparts in ETB […]