News

Clarity needed on whether census data on population growth was used when allocating additional funds to local authorities Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy has called on the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to publish the methodology used by the working group that reviewed the model of baseline funding to local authorities from Local […]

The Social Democrats have welcomed the co-option of Alan Curran to Galway City Council. Alan has been a member of the Galway branch of the Social Democrats since 2018 and is the co-author of the party’s cycling policy. Holly Cairns TD, leader of the Social Democrats, said: “I would like to congratulate Alan on his […]

Karl Stanley to be appointed substitute councillor for next six months Social Democrats councillor Catherine Stocker is to become the first public representative to assign a temporary substitute to her seat while she takes maternity leave under new legislation aimed at elected members of local authorities. Cllr Stocker, who represents the North Central Area on […]

Statement in relation to the resignation of Galway City Cllr. Owen Hanley Owen Hanley has resigned from Galway City Council after certain allegations were made on social media in recent days. The Party believes it is appropriate that Mr Hanley has resigned and these allegations are thoroughly investigated. When the Party first learned of allegations, […]

Exclusion of adoptive and parental leave is a missed opportunity  A Bill to provide maternity leave entitlements to councillors falls short of the level of reform required to encourage more women to enter politics, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns was speaking in advance of a debate on the second stage of […]

This is further evidence that the party in Limerick, and elsewhere, is continuing to grow Social Democrats co-leaders Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall have welcomed the decision of Limerick City West councillor Elisa O’Donovan to re-join the party. Cllr O’Donovan said: “I am delighted to be ‘coming home’ to the Social Democrats, having been elected […]

This development will have an immediate negative impact on the ecosystem of our coast The decision of the Court of Appeal to allow large trawlers fish in Ireland’s inshore waters is deeply disappointing and hugely worrying, according to Social Democrats Fisheries Spokesperson Holly Cairns. A Department of the Marine Policy Directive, which banned large trawlers […]

The Social Democrats Group on Dublin City Council object strongly to the plans announced by the Government today to remove Councillors’ oversight on the sale of public land to the Land Development Agency. Councillor Catherine Stocker said: “This is a power grab by a Government focused on private market solutions to the housing crisis. The […]

The Social Democrats today branded the country’s local authority funding system as outdated and deeply unfair to people living in councils with rapidly growing populations. “Communities can rightly ask ‘what am I getting for my Local Property Tax?’ And the answer is not a whole lot, because the finances of many local authorities haven’t improved […]