News

The Government’s failure to bring in overdue reform of ethics legislation is undermining public confidence in politics, according to Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall. “In the 2020 Programme for Government, there was a commitment given to reform and consolidate the ethics in public office legislation. “However, 14 months after the Government published a review of […]

The Government is sending out mixed messages on whether it intends to increase the stamp duty rate on the bulk purchase of homes by investment firms, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said: “In 2021, the Government introduced a 10 per cent stamp duty rate in […]

Social Democrats health spokesperson Róisín Shortall has welcomed the Taoiseach’s willingness to consider her proposal for the State to purchase Barrington’s Hospital in Limerick as part of a range of measures needed to solve the healthcare crisis in the region. “In response to my proposal in the Dáil today, the Taoiseach indicated that consideration would […]

The Government must seek an urgent explanation from the operators of the Re-turn scheme as to why thousands of Reverse Vending Machines were not disability-proofed before being brought into use, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on Climate and Biodiversity, said: “Significant accessibility issues with these machines […]

Rory Hearne, the Social Democrats’ European Elections candidate for Midlands-North-West, outlined how the housing crisis is impacting County Kildare at a public meeting last night. Mr Hearne made his comments during a discussion on housing solutions, which he hosted in Maynooth. It was also attended by Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns, Kildare North TD, Catherine […]

The latest homelessness figures should not be treated as a cause for celebration by the Minister for Housing, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said: “There are now 13,866 people living in homeless emergency accommodation – the highest number in the history of the State. Tragically, […]

Adults with eating disorders have been abandoned by the Government, according to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns. “There are just three public hospital beds in the country for the treatment of eating disorders in adults – all of them in St Vincent’s in Dublin. This is despite a Government commitment, when Simon Harris was Minister […]

Figures published today by the Central Statistics Office expose the Government’s spin on housing for what it is, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s spokesperson on housing, said: “According to the CSO, there were 5,841 new dwelling completions in the first quarter of this year – a fall […]

Simon Harris is following in the long tradition of this Government’s Taoisigh making promises that they cannot deliver, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said: “The new Taoiseach made big and bold promises of 50,000 homes a year during the recent Fine Gael Ard Fheis – […]

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has criticised Minister Eamon Ryan’s attempts to distance himself from the Irish Government’s objection to the ‘Swiss Grannies’ climate case taken in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on climate and biodiversity, said: “The Minister is trying to blame a badly worded […]