Latest phone pouch revelations add new levels of farce to budget fallout

Today’s revelations that private fee-paying schools will be allowed to apply for a slice of the €9 million budget allocation to purchase mobile phone pouches have added new levels of farce to the controversy, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on education, said: “Spending €9 million in […]

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Dublin taskforce report will be meaningless without funding allocation in Budget

Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has called on the Government to immediately publish the Dublin city centre taskforce report and clarify if funding has been ringfenced for its implementation in next week’s Budget. Deputy Gannon, who represents Dublin Central, said: “After years of dithering, the Government finally established a special taskforce for the inner city […]

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Taoiseach must clarify misinformation on homelessness being linked to International Protection

It appears to be government policy to scapegoat international protection applicants for their own failures and capitulate to anti-immigrant protestors rather than stand up for truth and justice The Taoiseach must clarify comments he made to the Sunday Times in which he incorrectly claimed that homeless numbers are impacted by people coming to this country […]

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Government supports sanctions on Israel abroad but not at home

The impunity to commit daily war crimes, that the Israeli government enjoys, is merely emboldening it to commit further atrocities. There is in inherent contradiction in the Irish government co-sponsoring a UN resolution which calls on all States to end trade with illegal Israeli settlements – while it refuses to do that at home, according […]

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Government must not turn a blind eye to transportation of weapons to Israel through Irish airspace

The Government must immediately outline what action it intends to take following reports that arms shipments destined for Israel flew through Irish airspace, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on defence, said: “The revelations in the Ditch that an Israel-bound cargo plane travelling from the United States […]

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Education Minister must make teacher recruitment crisis her main priority

The Minister for Education should be tackling the teacher recruitment crisis instead of focusing her efforts on a proposed smartphone ban for secondary schools, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on education, said: “As the new term begins, principals around the country are once again scrambling to […]

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Street Traders Must Not Be Excluded From Olympic Homecoming Event

Street traders, most of whom are women, are indelibly associated with the inner city Dublin City Council must reconsider its decision not to issue street trading licences for Monday’s Olympic homecoming event, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s Spokesperson for Sport and a TD for Dublin Central, said: […]

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Absence of FAI safeguards to protect women players is unforgiveable

The weekend revelations concerning the abuse of young women players represent the lowest point in the history of scandals involving the Football Association of Ireland, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on sport, said: “It was deeply unsettling to watch the RTÉ Investigates/Sunday Independent documentary as it […]

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