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It is inexcusable that more than 30 serving and former ministers have yet to commence a process to repay pension money that was overpaid to them in error, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “Last year, it emerged that 34 serving ministers, and 39 former ministers, had been overpaid as […]

Former Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe must appear before an Oireachtas committee to answer questions about the government’s decision to provide an extra €10 million to the World Bank prior to him taking up a senior position with the international development organisation, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s finance […]

The new Minister for Finance must break the cycle of reckless budget overruns, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan made his comments after the delayed publication of the government’s Medium-Term Fiscal and Structural Plan. He said: “Overruns have already reached €4.1 billion this year. This habit of overspending is not a […]

The publication today of the Accelerating Infrastructure report is overshadowed by the government’s decision to postpone delivery of DART+ South West and the Luas extension to Finglas, according to Social Democrats Finance, Public Expenditure and Infrastructure spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “At today’s launch of Accelerating Infrastructure, bold claims were made by the Taoiseach, […]

Ireland’s infrastructure delivery is the slowest in Europe – a damning indictment of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. The Government’s announcement of emergency legislation to fast-track infrastructure projects is a belated admission of failure, according to Social Democrats Finance and Public Expenditure spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “According to the Draghi Report on EU […]

The government cannot invest in Ireland’s future while hollowing out the tax base, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Responding to today’s damning assessment of Budget 2026 by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC), Deputy O’Callaghan said: “The government has the gall to lecture families about protecting the national finances, yet their latest […]

The rushed sell-off of AIB has already cost the taxpayer dearly as value of these shares have continued to rise, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “These are the same taxpayers who suffered so much to bail out the reckless banks and incompetent governments of the Celtic Tiger. “Now, the […]

Budget 2026 will be remembered for prioritising big developers and fast-food chains over the needs of struggling households, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “This is a budget characterised by bad choices and missed opportunities. It paints a picture of a government firmly on the side of vested interests rather […]

It is less than a week since the government published its summer economic statement, using an assumption of no tariffs The government must publish an updated summer economic statement following this evening’s 15% tariff deal between the EU and the United States, according to Social Democrats finance spokesman Cian O’Callaghan. “I welcome that a deal […]

The government’s 10-year development plan comprises just 49 pages which seek to bamboozle with the budget to disguise the paucity of both commitments and detail The National Development Plan announced today is so vague it doesn’t even rise to the level of wish list, according to Social Democrats public expenditure and reform spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “The […]