News

The impending withdrawal of voluntary overtime by gardaí next month underscores the fragility and inadequacy of the Minister for Justice’s policing plan for Dublin city centre, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who represents Dublin Central, said: “Following media reports of a spate of vicious assaults in Dublin during the summer, Minister […]

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has spoken out in support of Section 39 workers in community and voluntary sector organisations who are to commence indefinite strike action from Tuesday, October 17. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson on disability, said: “The organisations at the centre of the dispute are funded by the Health Service […]

New figures revealing that the average price of a three-bed semi-detached house nationally now exceeds €300,000 shows that home ownership has become increasingly out of reach for prospective buyers, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, the party’s deputy leader and housing spokesperson, said: “The Real Estate Alliance Average House Price Index paints […]

Energy companies should no longer be allowed to ride roughshod over their customers while generating huge profits Households will only see a derisory reduction in their energy bills from November, despite a significant drop in wholesale electricity prices over the past year, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s […]

Vulnerable customers and local businesses have been greatly impacted by the erosion of banking services  The Minister for Finance should direct AIB to end the practice of operating cashless branches in parts of the country, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore made her comments after it emerged that all public bodies are […]

Practical steps required to help the tens of thousands of people affected by the housing crisis A Social Democrats’ motion to be debated in the Dáil this evening will call for 10,000 affordable purchase and affordable rental homes to be built every year. Cian O’Callaghan, the party’s deputy leader and housing spokesperson, said: “This Government […]

It is extraordinary that the Health Minister has opted to remain overseas while this crisis is escalating Social Democrats Health Spokesperson Róisín Shortall has written to the Health Committee requesting that representatives of Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) and the HSE attend an emergency meeting of the Committee tomorrow. Deputy Shortall said: “Health Minister Stephen Donnelly […]

Vulnerable customers and local businesses have been greatly impacted by the erosion of banking services  The Minister for Finance should direct AIB to end the practice of operating cashless branches in parts of the country, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore made her comments after it emerged that all public bodies are […]

Absence of a defined budget for rehashed proposals is concerning  A new safety plan announced today by the Minister for Justice to tackle street crime in Dublin completely lacks substance and is full of rehashed proposals, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is a TD for Dublin Central, said: “While it […]

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 […]