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Social Democrats Spokesperson for Children, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore, has criticised the Department of Education’s advice to schools’ boards of management this morning as ‘too little, too late’. Greystones Councillor Whitmore said: “At 5.50a.m. this morning, Met Éireann issued a Status Red weather warning for snow and ice in Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Wicklow and Meath. “However, […]

Social Democrats Cllr Jennifer Whitmore has welcomed the launch of a Neighbourhood Watch in Charlesland Park. Whitmore said “The residents of Charlesland have worked together for the past eighteen months to improve the security of their estate. It began with the setting up of “WhatsApp” groups where residents from each street could contact each other […]

ASK ANY WORKING parent whether they’d be happy to take unpaid leave from their job to spend more time with their children, and the response is usually an enthusiastic ‘yes – if I could afford it!’ The reality is that with the high cost of childcare, the option of one parent – let’s face it […]

The Social Democrats today bring before the Dáil a Bill that gives working parents the opportunity to spend more time caring for their children. The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill allows parents to take a total of six months (26 weeks) unpaid leave from their jobs without their employment rights being affected. This is an increase […]

The Department of Education must intervene to allow students and teachers from Coláiste Ráithín in Bray to move into their new school building which has been delayed by the Carillion collapse, Social Democrats’ councillor Jennifer Whitmore said today. Local Cllr Whitmore said: “I attended a meeting last night at which teachers, parents and students from […]

The influenza vaccine should be offered for free to all school children to arrest the spread of the virus, the Social Democrats spokesperson on Children, Jennifer Whitmore said today. Greystones Councillor Whitmore was commenting after the HSE today released its weekly Influenza Surveillance Report which showed a 130 per cent increase in the number of […]

As children return to school tomorrow after the Christmas break, schools, parents and crèches need clear guidance from the HSE on how to prevent the spread of influenza, the Social Democrats’ spokesperson on Children, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore, said today. Councillor Whitmore said: “Many parents I have spoken to over the past week are concerned about how […]