News

The Social Democrats today challenged Fine Gael to spell out how it would tackle under-funding in essential public services while committing to fresh tax cuts. “The country is facing enormous challenges due to the chronic under-funding of essential public services and infrastructure that benefit everyone.” The Social Democrats today challenged Fine Gael to spell out […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called on the Minister for Health to direct the HSE to carry out an audit of women who have been given the all-clear based on tests for a specific gene which puts them at a high risk of cancer. “It’s vital that all women who have undergone the […]

Social Democrats Spokeswoman for Children, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore, has backed calls for schools to record and report how often they impose reduced school hours on children. “The Department of Education itself says reduced timetables should be used only in exceptional circumstances and never as a behavioural management tool.” Social Democrats Spokeswoman for Children, Councillor Jennifer […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD today called for a government guarantee that women affected by the Cervical Check crisis will get swift access to their smear slides. “Seven women have now come forward to me to tell me that they are waiting inordinate amounts of time for access to their slides. This jars completely […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD to-leader welcomes tonights Brexit deal but cautions against premature optimism given the political instability caused by the deal in the UK “This step in reaching an agreement is very welcome progress. However, it would be naïve to ignore the political realities facing the deal in the current political environment […]

The Social Democrats have backed calls for the Central Bank to bring in strict controls on licensed money lenders to protect vulnerable consumers from being hit with exorbitant interest rates and charges. “It is downright wrong and unfair that the Central Bank is still allowing interest rates of up to 287% to be legally charged […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has called on the Minister for Justice to clarify if he has agreed an open-ended arrangement to cover the costs and damages of former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan in a civil action by Garda whistle-blower Maurice McCabe. “It is extremely galling for people to see the state providing and […]

The Social Democrats spokesperson on Consumer Affairs and Political Director Anne-Marie McNally has said that the latest Daft.ie report once again proves that those stuck in long-term renting require a different approach in relation to Central Bank mortgage rules as they apply to long-term renters. “The effect of trapping long-term renters in high rents is […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has said an emergency rent freeze is the only way to address astronomical rents, as the latest figures from Daft.ie show a national increase in rents of more than 11 per cent. “There is no just way that ordinary workers, people with families and young people, can continue to […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today attacked the government’s ‘sticking plaster’ approach to the crisis in our health service. “This latest spike in the numbers of people waiting for hospital beds is a direct consequence of the government’s sticking plaster approach to the crisis in our health service. Constant firefighting is not the solution […]