News

As Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe prepares to leave office, his biggest priority is rewarding bankers The government’s plans to restore bankers’ bonuses are an insult to the millions of workers who have seen their wages fall because of the cost of living crisis, according to Social Democrats Finance Spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “As Finance Minister Paschal […]

The Minister must make the enactment of this Bill a priority The government must quickly move to ensure that a policy of open disclosure becomes mandatory within the health service, according to Social Democrats Health Spokesperson Róisín Shortall. Deputy Shortall was commenting after the publication of the final report of Dr. Gabriel Scally into the […]

Social Democrats co-leaders Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall have announced that Independent Waterford Councillor Mary Roche is joining the party. Deputies Murphy and Shortall travelled to Waterford today to meet Cllr Roche and make the announcement. Cllr Roche said: “I have long admired the work of the Social Democrats and their co-leaders Catherine Murphy and […]

What mattered most to Vicky was not rhetoric but action The nation is united in mourning the sad passing of Vicky Phelan, according to Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall. “The entire nation is united in mourning after the very sad passing of Vicky Phelan. “Vicky was instrumental in uncovering the CervicalCheck scandal. Her refusal to […]

SIPO is currently more lapdog than watchdog The decision of the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) not to investigate the Tánaiste’s leaking of a draft contract to a friend in 2019 is further evidence that the watchdog needs more teeth, according to Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall. “The Tánaiste has maintained that he leaked […]

Vital service to end next month due to lack of HSE funding  The imminent closure of the Mater Hospital’s Long Covid Clinic represents a new low in the Government’s pandemic response, according to the Social Democrats’ co-leader and Health spokesperson, Róisín Shortall. “This morning, the Mater’s Long Covid Clinic was instructed to wind down its […]

HSE figures show that the number of dentists participating in the scheme has dropped by over a third in five years The exodus of dentists from the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) requires an immediate intervention from the Minister for Health, according to Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD. HSE figures obtained by Deputy Shortall […]

Why is the Minister continuing to give experts and patient advocates the cold shoulder?  The Minister for Health must explain why he’s ignored repeated calls to fund the Mater’s Long Covid Clinic, according to Social Democrats Health Spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “The Mater’s clinic is the longest running Long Covid clinic in Ireland and yet it’s […]

The vacant homes tax, proposed by the government, is especially pathetic  The government’s budget can be characterised by a fundamental lack of targeting with high income earners benefiting disproportionately, according to Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall. “A failure to target supports at those who need them most is a recurring theme with this government – and […]

Immediate threat to living standards and long-term challenges must be met Protecting the most vulnerable from the cost-of-living crisis is the key priority in the Social Democrats’ alternative budget, published today. The party’s alternative budget document, ‘Responding to the Crisis: A Social Democratic Approach’, aims to strike a balance between dealing with the immediate threat […]