News

The Government must offer an official State apology in the Dáil to all thalidomide survivors in Ireland, including those it has failed to acknowledge, according to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson on disability, said: “After decades of campaigning for justice, recognition and adequate compensation, thalidomide survivors have been […]

Today’s release of delivery statistics for social and affordable homes show that this Government is incapable of meeting its targets – targets that were not nearly ambitious enough in the first place, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said: “Just 158 social homes were built in […]

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has strongly condemned today’s violence in Coolock. “There is no place in society for the type of despicable criminal behaviour we witnessed today on Dublin’s northside. “Again, we have seen hysteria, fear and hatred whipped up over proposed accommodation for asylum seekers, leading to attacks on gardai and workers, as […]

Newly elected Social Democrats councillor Daniel Ennis will feature in a documentary about the recent local elections on RTÉ One tonight. Cllr Ennis, who won a council seat in Dublin’s North Inner City last month, said he was delighted to be one of several candidates to participate in ‘The Locals’ – the latest work from […]

Attempts to delay the Dublin City Transport Plan by fearmongering must be rejected, according to Social Democrats councillor Eoin Hayes. Cllr Hayes, who represents Kimmage-Rathmines, said: “The economic assessment prepared for the Dublin City Centre Traders’ Alliance (DCCTA) does not take into account the significant costs to the capital caused by traffic congestion and underestimates […]

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has given a guarded welcome to the Government’s commitment to review the system in place for granting taxi licences to drivers. “In the Dáil today, my party proposed a range of measures to tackle the epidemic of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in this country. “We called on the Government […]

The €6.9bn in additional expenditure outlined in today’s Summer Economic Statement must be underpinned by proper workforce planning for future needs, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “Problems highlighted in the Summer Economic Statement are mostly the result of consistent failures by Government to invest in critical infrastructure and lack of planning for […]

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan has expressed disappointment at the Government’s failure to provide a timeframe for the introduction of legislation to make demanding sex for rent a criminal offence. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s spokesperson on housing, said: “There was an expectation that outlawing sex for rent arrangements would be included in the […]

The circumstances under which taxi licences are revoked and suspended now urgently need to be clarified  News that taxi driver Raymond Shorten is facing sentencing for the rape of a child – mere weeks after he was convicted of raping two young women in his cab – is shocking and raises questions for the taxi […]

The weekend revelations concerning the abuse of young women players represent the lowest point in the history of scandals involving the Football Association of Ireland, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on sport, said: “It was deeply unsettling to watch the RTÉ Investigates/Sunday Independent documentary as it […]