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Social Democrats TD and spokesperson for Social Protection, Gary Gannon, has criticised the further suspension of an employee’s legal entitlement to claim redundancy if they have been laid-off or put on reduced hours for a set number of weeks. Deputy Gannon said: “This decision is a worrying erosion of statutory redundancy rights. Under the Redundancy […]

Gary Gannon TD, the Social Democrats spokesperson on Social Protection, has backed calls by St Vincent de Paul for the establishment of a Special Oireachtas Committee on Poverty and Inequality. Deputy Gannon said: “Disadvantaged communities have been disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and there are now over 700,000 people experiencing poverty in Ireland. Poverty […]

Gary Gannon, the Social Democrats spokesperson on Social Protection, has called on backbench TDs from the three Government parties to vote against measures in tonight’s Social Welfare Bill that will make it difficult for Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) recipients to return to their former employment. Deputy Gannon said: “The revelations over the weekend that PUP […]

Gary Gannon TD, the Social Democrats spokesperson on Education, has expressed concern that there may not be enough substitute post-primary school teachers available in the event of a second wave of Covid-19. Reacting to the Government’s announcement of the €375m roadmap to opening schools at the end of next month, Deputy Gannon said: “While there […]

Gary Gannon TD, the Social Democrats spokesperson on Social Protection, is to seek an urgent explanation from the Government after it emerged that passengers are having their Pandemic Unemployment Payment removed following airport inspections. Deputy Gannon said: “I was extremely concerned to learn that those receiving the PUP have been targeted by Department of Social […]

Long term, substantial investment and innovative new ways of doing things will be required if schools are to reopen – and stay open – in the coming weeks, according to Gary Gannon, the Social Democrats spokesperson for Education. Deputy Gannon said: “The past number of months have been extremely difficult for students and parents and […]

Social Democrats spokesperson for the Arts, Gary Gannon TD, said today that a reduction in the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will be devastating for Ireland’s artistic community. Deputy Gannon said: “The PUP extension announced by the Government yesterday as part of the July stimulus package fails to take into account the circumstances of many people […]

Gary Gannon TD, the Social Democrats spokesperson on Education, has called on the Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD, to urgently address the Dáil and provide details of the Government’s plans for reopening schools in five weeks’ time Deputy Gannon said: “Yesterday I attended a meeting between Minister Foley and Opposition spokespeople for Education. Following […]

Schools are facing a wave of trauma Speaking ahead of a briefing for Opposition spokespersons by the Minister for Education this afternoon, Gary Gannon TD, the Social Democrats spokesperson on Education, said: “It’s hard to see anything other than chaos unfolding as our schools attempt to reopen in the autumn. The failure is one of […]

The Social Democrats have today announced spokesperson roles for the 33rd Dáil. Co-leader Catherine Murphy said: “In announcing our spokesperson roles today, I am confirming that the Social Democrats will continue to work as we did in the last Dáil – by being constructive and practical but also by not being afraid to ask the tough […]