News

The Minister for Education has been sleepwalking through this crisis and has failed to give it the urgency it deserves The Social Democrats will bring a Private Members’ Motion before the Dáil on Wednesday (December 7), calling for a range of measures to address the serious shortage of teachers in primary and secondary schools. The […]

Parents and children deserve action, not apologies, from the HSE  Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns has called for urgent action from the HSE after unacceptably long waiting lists for Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs) emerged today. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson on Disability, said: “It is a matter of deep concern to learn that […]

People with disabilities have been left waiting almost a decade for mobility support schemes to be replaced The delay in introducing a new personal transport scheme for disabled people has been described as cruel and indefensible by Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns, who is a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Disability […]

Focus needs to shift to the delivery of social, affordable purchase and cost-rental homes Figures published by the Central Statistics Office showing a contraction in residential building activity for the third quarter of this year is further proof that the Government’s housing plan is not working, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, […]

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 […]

Nobody can successfully argue that criminalising addicts is the way forward The so-called war on drugs is essentially a war on poverty, Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon told the Dáil today. “We’ve known for a long time that a law-and-order response to drug addiction is harmful and counterintuitive. But this Government has so far continued […]

Despite lack of public support and cruelty concerns, the Government continues to prop up the greyhound racing industry  Increased State funding for the greyhound racing industry represents a serious setback for animal welfare in Ireland, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns made her comments ahead of today’s Dáil motion proposing approval of […]

In Iceland, 86pc of the country’s workforce either work a four-day week or have a right to do so The government should move ahead with a large-scale pilot project of a four-day working week following the overwhelming success of a limited trial, according to Social Democrats Enterprise Spokesperson Catherine Murphy. “All 12 companies that took […]

Minister needs to redouble efforts to achieve carbon reduction targets The agreement reached on a loss and damage fund for poorer countries at COP27 should not distract the Government from its climate change responsibilities, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on Climate and Biodiversity, said: “Minister Eamon […]

Landlords are leaving the rental market in their droves, with 43,000 properties lost in five years The mass exodus of landlords from the rental market further highlights the urgent need for regulation of short-term letting platforms, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s spokesperson on Housing, said: “Reports today […]