News

News of increased school transport fees shows that free education continues to be a myth under this Government, according to Social Democrats education spokesperson Jen Cummins TD. Deputy Cummins said: “This is yet another charge being piled onto what is supposed to be a free education system. The decision to double costs for primary school […]

Israel’s introduction of the death penalty for Palestinians is a brazen violation of the Geneva Convention, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: “Israel claims to be a modern, progressive country, and though this has long been exposed as fallacy, its decision to employ the death penalty for Palestinians, and […]

Fine Gael’s investment scheme amounts to a tax break for millionaires, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “Simon Harris and Fine Gael have shown their true colours as they roll out their latest scheme to allow millionaires dodge tax. “The rich and their accountants will make hay as they shift […]

The findings of a new study on the minimum wage must inform Government employment policy and tip the balance in favour of low-paid workers, according to Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney. Deputy Gibney, who is the party’s spokesperson on enterprise and employment, said: “It is very significant that a study from the Economic and Social […]

The latest inflation figures for the Irish economy further highlight the urgent need for the Government to introduce targeted energy supports to assist struggling households, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “The latest Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) indicate that prices rose at an annualised rate of 3.6 per […]

The Government is telling a generation of young people that their future is living in a shed in the back of a garden, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne said: “The Government’s ‘beds in sheds’ policy is pockmarked with a litany of flaws. There is no mechanism to prevent these sheds […]

Today’s harrowing record-high homelessness figures are an indictment of a Government which has completely lost control of Ireland’s housing emergency, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne said: “Today’s figures show there were a record 17,308 people living in homeless emergency accommodation at the end of February. Shockingly, 5,457 of them are […]

An elective-only hospital in Galway could potentially deliver 175,000 additional procedures and consultations a year, a public meeting organised by the Social Democrats in Knocknacarra heard this week. The meeting on Galway’s healthcare crisis, held in Knocknacarra Community Centre, was hosted by Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich, the Social Democrats’ Galway West by-election candidate. Guest speakers on […]

It’s difficult to understand how the Department of Education is facing an overspend of up to €700 million while schools around the country continue to struggle from underinvestment, according to Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins. Deputy Cummins, who is the party’s education spokesperson, said: “I am deeply concerned at reports that the Department of Education […]

There must be urgent action from the Government to tackle the addictive nature of AI-boosted social media algorithms and the harm they cause, according to Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney. Deputy Gibney, who sits on the Oireachtas AI Committee, said: “A seismic court ruling in the United States has found Meta and Google deliberately designed […]