News

The latest child poverty figures will be a stain on this Government’s term in office unless meaningful measures are introduced to tackle income inequality, according to Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly, who is the party’s spokesperson on children, said: “The 2026 Child Poverty Monitor, published by the Children’s Rights Alliance, is a shameful […]

The Government’s new maximum fee cap for childcare services operating under the core funding model is a derisory reduction that will make little difference to hard-pressed families, according to Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly, who is the party’s spokesperson on children, said: “Under the new maximum fee cap announced today by Children’s Minister […]

Current exclusion policies applied to institutional abuse redress schemes are creating a hierarchy of survivors, according to Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins. Deputy Cummins, who is the party’s education spokesperson, said: “Thousands of survivors continue to face barriers to recognition and support because of arbitrary eligibility rules and exclusions. “Far too many survivors are still […]

20% of the 1,778 complaints to the Ombudsman for Children’s Office last year concerned Tusla, further proving the need for an independent review into its standards, according to Social Democrats children spokesperson Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly said: “One in five complaints to the Ombudsman for Children’s Office concerned Tusla in 2025. This is indicative of […]

Hiring security guards to make up the numbers in special care units is grossly inappropriate and leaves children at risk, according to Social Democrats children spokesperson Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly said: “Hiring security guards to plaster over staff shortages in Tusla’s most secure units will degrade standards of care for our most vulnerable children. “The […]

An unending string of damning reports has made it impossible to have full and unreserved trust in Tusla, and action must be taken to take children out of harm’s way, according to Social Democrats children spokesperson Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly said: “Today’s report from the Health Information and Quality Authority, which found that children were […]

The Taoiseach does not believe that Tusla should be subject to an independent review as he believes it will paralyse the organisation, according to Social Democrats children spokesperson Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly said: “The volume of social workers in Tusla who have gotten in touch and expressed their concern about recently undertaken reforms is a […]

Forged references provided for staff at unregulated children’s care homes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential harm of Special Emergency Arrangements, according to Social Democrats children spokesperson Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly said: “It’s time to call a halt on these shambolic, unregulated and frankly dangerous substitutes for State […]

Every level of the early years sector, including the Federation of Early Childhood Providers and Childhood Services Ireland, must come to the table and attend important pay talks for early years educators, according to Social Democrats children spokesperson Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly said: “The ongoing recruitment and retention crisis in early years education and childcare […]

Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice has welcomed that Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) have finally been added to the National Newborn Bloodspot Screening, commonly known as the heel prick test. Deputy Rice, who chairs the Oireachtas Health Committee, said: “This is an incredibly important milestone for families impacted by SCID […]