News

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called on the Minister for Health to provide immediate answers on the latest failures of the CervicalCheck programme. Deputy Shortall was commenting after it emerged that 52 of some 800 women impacted by the reported IT problems in the Quest Diagnostics laboratory have contracted the HPV virus. She […]

Despite the growing problem of sexual violence, figures released to the Social Democrats show that only nine out of the country’s 28 Garda Divisions have specialist units to deal with victims of sexual crime. In response to a parliamentary question, the Minister for Justice and Equality confirmed that there are ten dedicated Divisional Protective Service […]

Social Democrats Kildare Councillor Aidan Farrelly has raised concerns over the role of An Bord Pleanála in an application for a private housing development in Clane which grew from 322 units to 366 after formal input from the Board. The Strategic Housing Development application, which is currently before the national planning authority pending decision, is […]

The Social Democrats today expressed deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the late barrister and political commentator, Noel Whelan. The party’s co-leaders Róisín Shortall TD and Catherine Murphy TD said: “We are deeply saddened by the news of Noel’s death. Noel was a passionate campaigner, a talented barrister and a discerning political commentator […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called for urgent government action to address the crisis in how young hospital doctors are trained, recruited and treated. Deputy Shortall said: “I welcome today’s publication of the Medical Council report on the experience of young doctors in our hospitals. The report found that more than a third […]

“The revelations in tonight’s programme require serious consideration regarding the Department of Agriculture’s engagements with and indeed funding of this industry.” Social Democrats Co-Leader Catherine Murphy has said that the revelations in tonight’s upcoming RTÉ Investigates programme relating to the Irish Greyhound industry are extremely disturbing and give rise to significant questions regarding the State […]

The Social Democrats have said that the Summer Economic Statement shows that everyone is paying for the failure of Fine Gael to properly cost major projects such as the National Children’s Hospital and the National Broadband Plan. “There would be €200m extra available in 2020 if the Government had done its job properly in managing […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called on the Minister for Health to urgently address the scandalous lack of home care services after new HSE figures show there are 585 patients stuck in hospital beds due to delayed discharges. “Every one of these figures represents a patient who is needlessly occupying a hospital bed […]

The Social Democrats today castigate the Fine Gael government for paying lip service to a so-called squeezed middle while failing ordinary working people and putting no squeeze on those at the very top. “People are increasingly asking the question – where is Fine Gael taking us and is it really where we want to go?” […]

“We have to put the interests of our people ahead of the interests of international capital.” The Social Democrats today make an urgent call for legal restrictions to tackle the growing dominance of international investment funds on the rental sector which is pushing up prices and driving insecurity among renters. Party co-leaders Catherine Murphy TD […]