News

HSE report reveals 700 vacancies across 91 Children’s Disability Network Teams  Disability services for children continue to be severely impacted by the HSE’s failure to get to grips with the serious recruitment crisis within the sector, according to Holly Cairns, leader of the Social Democrats. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson on Disability, said: […]

This week, Holly Cairns was officially announced as Leader of the Social Democrats in front of a room packed with family, friends and members of the Party in The Tara Building, in Dublin city centre. In her opening address to members as Leader, she said: How on earth did I get here? That’s a question […]

Yet the State has made no real effort to pursue religious orders The Government is refusing to expand its mother and baby homes redress scheme for purely financial reasons while making no real effort to pursue religious orders for a contribution, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson […]

Under the Minister’s redress scheme, 40 percent of survivors will not be eligible for compensation, while two-thirds will be denied healthcare  The Government has one last chance to do the right thing when its deeply flawed Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill reaches its concluding stages in the Dáil this week, according to Social […]

Six units do incredible work in treating and helping vulnerable victims of sexual assault  More resources are needed to help the HSE and gardaí understand and respond to rising attendance rates at Sexual Assault Treatment Units around the country, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. “Professor Maeve Eogan, the National Clinical Lead for the […]

Ireland’s Forest Strategy has been undermined by partnership with UK investment firm Coillte’s controversial partnership with a UK investment firm is undermining Ireland’s new Forest Strategy before it has even begun, according to Social Democrats Agriculture spokesperson Holly Cairns. “The long-delayed Forest Strategy says all the right things and makes big commitments. But based on […]

For far too long, a few big players have been allowed to dominate Unfair quota allocations continue to impact the livelihoods of those involved in the inshore fishing sector, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, told the Dáil today: “Inshore fishing […]

Department of Agriculture should be supporting farms to develop forestry, not punishing them The planned partnership between Coillte and Gresham House, a UK-based investment firm, highlights fundamental flaws in the Government’s approach to forestry, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson on Agriculture, said: “It has come to […]

Model of Care was supposed to deliver 16 specialist eating disorder teams – but just three are operating The slow delivery of specialist eating disorder teams across the country is potentially putting lives at risk, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. “Of the 16 community-based teams promised under the HSE’s National Model of Care […]

The law is inadvertently facilitating the further abuse of social housing tenants Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns has called on the Government to make changes to legislation to protect social housing tenants who are survivors of domestic abuse. “As things stand, a person who is abusing their partner can refuse to relinquish their rights under […]