News

Opinion by Cllr Dermot Looney: Few of us need reminding of the worrying increase in childhood obesity. According to the body Safefood, one in four Irish children is overweight or obese. An astonishing 80% of children in the Republic do not meet the guidelines of at least one hour of physical activity per day. Last […]

A fire safety report published by the Department of Housing today, arising from a rapid spread of fire in the Millfield Manor housing estate in March 2015, spectacularly fails to address the very serious risks faced in homes with fire safety defects, Social Democrats councillor Cian O’Callaghan said today. Councillor O’Callaghan said: “The publication today by […]

The Social Democrats are pleased to announce that Fingal County Councillor Paul Mulville has joined the party. Mr Mulville (34) has been a councillor representing the Swords local electoral area since he first ran in the last local election in 2014 on three broad themes of accountability, representation and community. Announcing the move, the party’s […]

Official figures released today to the Social Democrats from the Department of Justice reveal the staggering number and length of time people are waiting for Free Legal Aid in Cork. In a written answer to a question from Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall, Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD noted the following figures […]

Catherine Murphy TD has welcomed the hard-hitting PAC report into financial practices at Templemore Garda training and said the report does “not pull any punches.” Speaking at the launch of the report, Deputy Murphy said that when she had first raised the issue with the then Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald it had been dismissed […]

The government is failing thousands of tenants facing spiralling costs by refusing to act to cut stamp duty on rents above €2,500 a month, Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy said today. Deputy Murphy said figures published today show that some 55 per cent of three-bedroom Dublin city homes currently up for rent through online property […]

The fire safety review announced by Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster deliberately excludes social housing where fire risks are most serious, according to Social Democrats Cllr Cian O’Callaghan. Cllr O’Callaghan said the scope of the ongoing review is excessively narrow, focusing only on multi-storey buildings of five […]

The high costs of sending children to school need to be lifted so that parents are not being forced into debt to cover basics, the Social Democrats said today. Party co-leader Róisín Shortall TD was commenting on new research that shows that the average cost of primary school education is €766 a year. The Cost […]

The Social Democrats support the increase in the Living Wage rate – but stress that there also has to be a focus on reducing the cost of living. Party co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said: “I welcome the increase in the Living Wage for 2017 to €11.70 per hour. The experts who calculate this increase say […]

The Social Democrats have welcomed action by competition authorities into alleged price fixing in the motor insurance industry. The party’s Dublin Mid-West local area representative Anne Marie was speaking following reports that competition enforcement officials today carried out office raids as part of a probe into possible cartel activity in the insurance industry. Ms McNally […]