News

A multi-agency approach is needed to remove or remediate thousands of man-made barriers to fish migration in Ireland’s rivers, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on biodiversity, said: “What is happening across Ireland’s network of rivers and streams is nothing less than an ecological tragedy. “Man-made barriers […]

Social Democrats councillor Joan Hopkins has expressed concern after it was reported that a majority of homes bulk purchased in a Swords housing estate by Ryanair earlier this year remain vacant. Cllr Hopkins, who is the party’s general election candidate in Dublin Fingal East, said: “Last January, people were shocked when it emerged that the […]

There is an urgent need to properly regulate the bidding process to protect first-time buyers, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said: “Bank of Ireland have reported that the average homebuyer is now paying 10 per cent above the asking price. This is incredibly disheartening for […]

Significant investment in greener public transport and renewable energy will be key if Ireland wants to meet challenging World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality targets, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on climate and energy, said: “The latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that […]

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 […]

It appears to be government policy to scapegoat international protection applicants for their own failures and capitulate to anti-immigrant protestors rather than stand up for truth and justice The Taoiseach must clarify comments he made to the Sunday Times in which he incorrectly claimed that homeless numbers are impacted by people coming to this country […]

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 […]

Welcoming An Bord Pleanála’s decision to refuse planning permission for an apartment scheme at the former Bessborough mother and baby home in Cork, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has repeated her call for a sensitive excavation of the grounds of the estate, which is widely believed to be a children’s burial ground. “The latest refusal […]

It is shameful that 20 people under the age of 65 will remain in nursing homes this year due to a €5 million HSE funding shortfall, according to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson on disability, said: “In an update on his 2021 ‘Wasted Lives’ report, Ombudsman Ger Deering […]

The impunity to commit daily war crimes, that the Israeli government enjoys, is merely emboldening it to commit further atrocities. There is in inherent contradiction in the Irish government co-sponsoring a UN resolution which calls on all States to end trade with illegal Israeli settlements – while it refuses to do that at home, according […]