News

The Social Democrats have called on the government to commit to the publication early next year of a referendum bill to give effect to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment. The party’s co-leader Catherine Murphy TD was a member of the cross-party committee which deliberated for 13 weeks and considered […]

Social Democrats Councillor Gary Gannon has accused Dublin City Council of adding insult to injury by making the funding of a major redevelopment project already promised for Dublin’s north east inner city contingent on the sale of the former Magdalene Laundry on Sean McDermott Street. Councillor Gannon said: “The deputy chief executive of Dublin City […]

The Social Democrats have urged Ryanair to meet with the Irish pilots’ union Impact as soon as possible to ensure that progress can be made in relation to the ongoing industrial dispute. The party’s co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said: “Ryanair’s statement today that it intends to recognise trade unions is potentially a very significant one […]

The Social Democrats have warmly welcomed the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment to repeal the Constitutional ban on abortion and legislate for termination without restriction up to 12 weeks. Party co-leader Catherine Murphy TD, who is a member of the committee, said: “The Committee’s recommendations are a very significant and […]

The Social Democrats have said today’s agreement between the UK and the EU on the first phase of Brexit negotiations is a positive start to the process of negotiations which must lead to a fair deal for the entire island of Ireland. The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said: “Today’s agreement allows us to progress […]

Plans by Dublin City Council to sell the last remaining Magdalene Laundry site to an international hotel chain show utter disregard for the suffering of women who deserve to be properly commemorated by the State, Social Democrats Councillor Gary Gannon has said. Councillor Gannon said the site of the former convent on Sean McDermott Street […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has called for a raft of targeted measures to help people who are increasingly forced to share rental accommodation because of rising costs and the lack of affordable homes to buy and rent. Deputy Murphy said: “Today’s report from Savills Ireland shows that a fifth of the population nationwide […]

Róisín Shortall, the co-leader of the Social Democrats, has called for Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan, to explain his role in the Maurice McCabe email affair. Speaking today after Leaders’ Questions, Deputy Shortall said; “There is an understandable focus on the Tánaiste’s role in all this. However, it is becoming clearer and clearer that the […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has strongly questioned the government’s commitment to fully implement Sláintecare, the fully costed ten-year health reform plan put forward by a cross-party Oireachtas committee. Speaking following a Dáil debate on the Sláintecare plan today, Deputy Shortall said she and other members of the Oireachtas committee which produced the Sláintecare […]

The latest house price and rent increases show the urgent need for the Government to bring in an affordable housing scheme for first time buyers and to cap rents nationwide, Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said today. Deputy Murphy made her comments as two separate reports from the ESRI and daft.ie show that the […]