News

The coalition parties’ election promise of a €200 per month cap on childcare fees is looking hollower each passing day as discord spreads between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, according to Social Democrats children’s spokesperson Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly said: “Families are paying an average of €190 a week for childcare while rival government children’s […]

Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins has called on the Department of Education to scrap plans to review the designation of special schools ahead of the new term in September. Deputy Cummins, who is the party’s education spokesperson, said: “Schools catering for children with mild general learning disabilities are being put under pressure by the government […]

Children are being failed by the government’s inability to tackle inter-generational poverty, according to Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly, who is the party’s spokesperson on children, said: “The latest Child Poverty Monitor report published by the Children’s Rights Alliance is deeply concerning. It confirms that the number of children in consistent poverty in […]

This week’s deportation of children, who were deeply embedded in their local community, lacked sensitivity and compassion, according to Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins. Deputy Cummins, who represents Dublin South-Central and is the party’s spokesperson on education, said: “This operation, which saw five children included on a chartered deportation flight from Dublin, was cruel and […]

Government proposals could undermine children’s disability assessments and result in the misdiagnosis of their conditions, Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide has warned. Deputy Quaide, who is the party’s spokesperson on disability, said: “When recently pressed on the crisis in disability services, the Taoiseach’s main proposal was a change in legislation to reduce the length of […]

There must be full accountability and transparency from Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) in relation to a succession of scandals, according to Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice, who is the party’s spokesperson on health, said: “A report in yesterday’s Sunday Times that a consultant breached guidelines by referring public patients to his own private […]

Children who may have had unnecessary hip surgery in hospitals at the centre of today’s independent report must be the government’s immediate priority, according to Social Democrats health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice said: “The publication of the report today finally confirms what we have known since March – that unnecessary hip surgeries were carried […]

The government must stop breaking the law when it comes to protecting vulnerable children and act on the latest report recommending reform of the care system, according to Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly, who’s the party’s spokesperson on children, said: “An external review of special care commissioned by Tusla has found that the […]

The government’s reaction to the school attendance crisis is déjà vu disguised as innovation, according to Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins. Deputy Cummins, who’s the party’s education spokesperson, said: “Let’s be clear: this crisis didn’t come out of nowhere – for years, the School Completion Programme ran effective, community-based attendance monitoring and promotion in DEIS […]

It’s time for the government to finally act on their promise to address the assessment of need crisis, according to Social Democrats acting leader Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “According to the Disability Act 2005, an assessment of need must be completed within six months of the date the application is received. “Yet, in the […]