News

Government policy is failing many of Ireland’s small towns, according to Social Democrats spokesperson for Rural and Community Development Liam Quaide. Deputy Quaide said: “The latest CSO data on small towns paints a stark picture of the level of disadvantage faced by their communities. “Many of these towns are growing. Families are laying down roots. […]

The Government is doing nothing to address rapidly declining prison conditions, despite overcrowding reaching record highs, according to Social Democrats justice spokesperson Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon said: “Irish prisons have been bursting at the seams for years now, yet no substantive action has been taken to address these worsening conditions by the Minister for Justice. […]

An attempt by the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland to remove the term ‘pharmacological restraint’ from the Mental Health Bill invalidates the experiences of people who have been over-sedated or medicated in coercive or restrictive ways during psychiatric treatment, according to Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide. Deputy Quaide, who is the party’s spokesperson for mental […]

The Minister for Health must initiate High Court action against BAM, the only option remaining to her, to compel the delivery of the National Children’s Hospital, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice, who chairs the Oireachtas Health Committee, said: “Today was the day that the hospital should have been handed over, […]

The Irish Government must intervene to ensure the safety of Irish activists illegally detained in international waters by Israeli forces, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: “Yet again, we see Israel act with impunity as the latest Gaza-bound flotilla – carrying food, medicine and baby formula – is intercepted […]

The Government’s refusal to introduce a €400 targeted energy credit for vulnerable households struggling to heat their homes is inexcusable, according to Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes. Deputy Hayes, who is the party’s spokesperson on social protection, said: “In the Dáil today, I challenged the Taoiseach on the rising levels of poverty being experienced in […]

Chronic underfunding of policing and safety initiatives in Ballymun has exposed children to the horrors of the drug trade, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne, who represents the Ballymun area, said: “Yesterday’s incident in Ballymun happened as a result of safety and drug-related intimidation being left unchallenged in the community by successive […]

The European Commission’s prospective fining of Meta for failing to maintain adequate safeguards for children is welcome, but the source of these issues remain unaddressed, according to Social Democrats enterprise spokesperson Sinéad Gibney. Deputy Gibney said: “The European Commission has found that Meta is doing very little to prevent minors under the age of 13 […]

A new report lays bare Ireland’s dismal record on nature restoration and the failure of successive governments to protect our environment, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s environment spokesperson, said: “The report from the Independent Advisory Committee on Nature Restoration reveals that 90 per cent of our protected […]

People cannot afford to pay for this Government’s haphazard handling of the cost-of-living crisis, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “Figures released today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show there is no end in sight to the skyrocketing cost-of-living crisis. “Prices have risen a further 3.6 per cent in […]