News

The Minister for Health must take some share of responsibility for the latest delay to the National Children’s Hospital, according to Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice, who is the party’s health spokesperson, said: “When questioned earlier today on when the new hospital would open, Minister Carroll Mac Neill flippantly suggested that people should […]

Due to the severity of August’s pollution incident in the River Blackwater, Cork, the Gardaí must be tasked with assisting in the uncovering of the fish kill’s root cause, according to Social Democrats environment spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore said: “I welcome the expanded investigation into what was truly a disastrous event – our rivers […]

Inter-party squabbling between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will do nothing to resolve the ongoing strike by school secretaries and caretakers, according to Social Democrats education spokesperson Jen Cummins. Deputy Cummins said: “We are now one week into this strike, which is severely disrupting the day-to-day running of schools around the country and has the […]

Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide is seeking full transparency from the HSE on the cost of outsourcing Assessments of Need and has called for proper State investment in primary care services. Deputy Quaide, who is the party’s spokesperson on disability, said: “I have submitted parliamentary questions to each of the six health regions, seeking a breakdown of costs […]

Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly has called on the Minister for Children to provide full details of the review she has requested Tusla to carry out in the case of a missing child in north county Dublin. Deputy Farrelly, who is the party’s spokesperson on children, said: “The entire country is in shock as the […]

Vague proposals for an emergency break do not inspire any confidence The Irish government must live up to commitments to oppose the Mercosur trade deal if robust protections for the environment and agricultural sector are not in place, according to Social Democrats Climate and Agriculture spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. “EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen […]

Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has called on the government to formally designate the forthcoming National Drugs Strategy – scheduled for publication by the end of 2025 – as an interim strategy. Deputy Gannon, who chairs the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Drug Use, said: “It would be a profound breach of democratic accountability for the […]

Social Democrats TDs Rory Hearne and Jen Cummins today handed in a letter to the Minister for Education on behalf of three Dublin families struggling to secure special education places for their children. Deputy Hearne, who is a TD for Dublin North-West, has taken up the cases of three children in his constituency – Riley […]

No EU financial institution should be involved in raising funds which are used to annihilate innocent civilians News that the Central Bank will no longer facilitate the sale of Israeli bonds is welcome if overdue, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. “It has been reported today that Israel has moved the approval process for […]

Social Democrats education spokesperson Jen Cummins has said the Labour Court must now intervene in the strike by school secretaries and caretakers. Deputy Cummins said: “School secretaries and caretakers are the backbone of our school communities. They are essential to the proper running of schools all across the country. “For decades, these professionals have provided […]