News

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy said that yesterday’s Central Bank Report is a damning indictment of the banking culture in Ireland and gives lie to the Government announcement earlier this month that there is ‘no compelling case’ for a public banking model. “The creation of a publicly owned community banking system – such as operates […]

Social Democrats’ Spokesperson on Education Equality and Access, Cllr Gary Gannon, has said a large scale digital vocational training programme aimed at the unemployed and underemployed could be a powerful driver of inclusive prosperity. “Partnering with the big technology companies to implement a digital apprenticeship scheme would be game changing for Ireland’s economic prospects. It […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said the Minister for Health must come clean about the government’s commitment to the Sláintecare health reform plan which has cross-party support. The Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance need to accept that the reform programme will need a dedicated funding stream of its own, and if they […]

The Social Democrats are pleased to announce Councillor June Murphy as the party’s candidate to contest the next General Election in Cork East. June is an energetic and committed local campaigner for better mental health services, improved supports for suicide prevention, domestic violence and sexual abuse, and the needs of children with physical or intellectual […]

Social Democrats Spokesperson for Children Cllr Jennifer Whitmore today called on the Minister for Children to examine making Facebook content moderators who review videos of physical abuse legally obliged to report. “Facebook’s content moderators are at the coalface of this issue and may often be the first people to see instances of child abuse online.” […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said the publication by the UK Government of its Brexit White Paper lays a foundation for its position – but cautioned that a number of potential pitfalls will need to be addressed as soon as possible. “From a first reading of the White Paper, there are elements that […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called on the Minister for Health to intervene to compel the HSE to release smear slides to women affected by the CervicalCheck controversy so they can be independently reviewed. “The Government is shirking its responsibility to implement the decisions of the Constitutional Convention which proposed a series of […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called on the Minister for Health to intervene to compel the HSE to release smear slides to women affected by the CervicalCheck controversy so they can be independently reviewed. “It is now time for the government to commit to fully funding Sláintecare. We are still waiting on the […]

Co-leader of the Social Democrats, Róisín Shortall TD, has welcomed the Minister for Justice’s announcement that his department will be restructured as “broadly positive,” but has cautioned that the Minister must ensure the full cooperation of his department. “If we are to ensure accountability at every level, the overly close and cosy relationship between the […]

Social Democrats Spokesperson on Energy and Climate Change, Cllr Cian O’Callaghan, today called on the utilities regulator to do more to educate the public about the savings to be made from switching suppliers. “The spin from the Regulator is that we have some of the highest switching rates in Europe but that ignores the fact […]