The government’s response to the damage and disruption caused by Storm Chandra has been to evade responsibility and place blame on others, according to Social Democrats environment spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore said: “1,200 homes and businesses remain without power after Storm Chandra brought flooding and high winds to parts of Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow […]
Read moreToday’s confirmation of house completion figures for 2025 by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) highlights the real reason why the government abandoned setting annual targets, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said: “With just 36,284 homes delivered last year – which falls significantly short of what’s […]
Read moreIt is shameful that it took a hunger strike by survivors of industrial and reformatory schools to extract a State apology from the government, according to Social Democrats education spokesperson Jen Cummins. Deputy Cummins said: “While it is welcome that the Taoiseach has agreed to make a formal apology in the Dáil, this is the […]
Read moreSocial Democrats TD Eoin Hayes has called on the Minister for Social Protection to withdraw and apologise for misguided comments he made in the Dáil this morning during a debate on the cost of having a disability in Ireland. Deputy Hayes, who is the party’s spokesperson on social protection, said: “During today’s debate on our […]
Read moreAmazon staff must be provided with assurances from the government that they will be adequately supported if faced with redundancy, according to Social Democrats enterprise spokesperson Sinéad Gibney. Deputy Gibney said: “Reports that Amazon is to cut 16,000 jobs are extremely concerning for the 6,500 staff employed by the multinational company in Ireland. “Today, I […]
Read moreThe Dáil will today debate a Social Democrats’ motion calling on the government to introduce an emergency winter payment of €400 for disabled people within a month. Eoin Hayes TD, who is the party’s spokesperson on social protection, said: “Not only did Budget 2026 fail to include a cost of disability payment, it left disabled […]
Read moreThe devastation caused by Storm Chandra across the country is shocking but not surprising given a lack of flood preparedness from government, according to Social Democrats environment spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore said: “Storm Chandra has caused devastation across the country, with flooding in Wexford, Wicklow and parts of Dublin being particularly bad. Thousands of […]
Read moreThe abolition of the triple lock would be the final nail in the coffin for Ireland’s neutrality as we know it, according to Social Democrats defence spokesperson Sinéad Gibney. Deputy Gibney made her comments as the Cabinet met today to sign off on the Defence Amendment Bill. The legislation will result in the removal of […]
Read moreThe government must not introduce disastrous rental measures which will allow landlords to increase rents between tenancies, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne said: “There’s huge concern and fear among renters that the rental measures discussed at Cabinet today will lead to higher rents – every expert at the Oireachtas Housing […]
Read moreSocial Democrats TD Jen Cummins has called for earlier intervention and speedier referrals to the Education Welfare Service (EWS) to reduce long-term absenteeism rates in schools. Deputy Cummins, who is the party’s education spokesperson, was responding to new research from the ESRI which found that children attending special and DEIS schools in the most socio-economically […]
Read more