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SocDems support Waste Reduction Bill and Dáil motion on single use plastics

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called on the Minister for Health to intervene to compel the HSE to release smear slides to women affected by the CervicalCheck controversy so they can be independently reviewed. “In our recent Alternative Budget we proposed that the Government set aside funding for a deposit and return scheme […]

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Waste regulator must look out for consumers and increase transparency

Social Democrats Spokesperson on Energy and Climate Change, Councillor Cian O’Callaghan has called on the government to establish a waste regulator to oversee price controls for bin collections. “At the moment, there is absolutely no transparency in the sector. We don’t know who owns many of the companies or what their profits or losses are. […]

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Galling for consumers to be encouraged to recycle when plastic producers’ targets lack ambition

Social Democrats Spokesperson on Energy and Climate Change, Councillor Cian O’Callaghan, has said the onus on ending the use of non-recyclable plastics must be placed squarely at the door of producers and supermarkets pushing plastics on consumers. “Producers and retailers should lead the way and start phasing out now all packaging that can’t be recycled […]

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Plans to shelve a directly elected Mayor for Dublin are baffling

Social Democrats Dublin Bay North Cllr Cian O’Callaghan said: “Reports that the government want to shelve plans for a directly elected Mayor for Dublin and instead proceed with a directly elected Mayor in Cork as a pilot are baffling.” “We need unified democratic leadership of local government in Dublin and this postponement will only further […]

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Planning permission granted for Baldoyle to Portmarnock cycling and walking route

Social Democrats Councillor Cian O’Callaghan has welcomed the decision by An Bord Pleanála today to grant planning permission for the Baldoyle to Portmarnock cycling and walking route “This new infrastructure will benefit commuters, local residents, visitors to the area and tourists. With large scale development taking place in Baldoyle, Portmarnock and surrounding areas it is […]

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Over a million energy customers over-paying for electricity and gas

Social Democrats Spokesperson on Energy and Climate Change, Cllr Cian O’Callaghan, today called on the utilities regulator to do more to educate the public about the savings to be made from switching suppliers. “The spin from the Regulator is that we have some of the highest switching rates in Europe but that ignores the fact […]

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New Mayor of Fingal must open community centres to political meetings

Social Democrats from across the Fingal County Council area have today demanded that the next mayor of the county ends the outright ban on political meetings in community centres. Under current Fingal County Council policy, community centres may not be used for political meetings. The outgoing mayor, Labour’s Cllr Mary McCamley shut down a debate […]

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Dangerous use of quads and scrambler bikes at epidemic levels

Social Democrats’ Councillor Cian O’Callaghan has said the dangerous use of quads and scramblers by teenagers and children has been allowed to reach epidemic levels. Speaking after a man was seriously injured when he was struck by a scrambler bike in Darndale Park at the weekend, the Dublin Bay North councillor said: “The misuse of […]

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Head in the sand approach to fire safety defects will not make them go away

Commenting on the report of the Fire Safety Task Force, Social Democrats Councillor Cian O’Callaghan said today: “The report of the Fire Safety Task Force Fire Safety in Ireland, published a year after the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower, fails to examine the extensive problem of structural fire safety defects in Celtic Tiger era developments. […]

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