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The Government cannot continue to progress controversial Public Services Card legislation in the upcoming Social Welfare Bill until key data protection concerns are addressed, according to Social Democrats TD social protection spokesperson Eoin Hayes. Deputy Hayes, who is the party’s Social Protection spokesperson, made his comments following a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Social […]

The high number of people living in poverty in Ireland highlights the prevailing level of income inequality in this country, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on social welfare, said: “The at risk of poverty rate, as measured by the Central Statistics Office, was 10.6 per cent […]

The Government’s Green Paper on disability payment reforms would, in practice, further marginalise disabled people and should be scrapped, according to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson on disability, said: “Although couched in language of care, this proposal from the Minister for Social Protection would demonise people with disabilities […]

The Government is failing miserably to address the issue of generational poverty, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on Social Protection, said: “An analysis of data included in the Pobal Deprivation Index reveals that the number of people living in areas classed as ‘very disadvantaged’ or ‘extremely […]

There are now more than 671,000 people living in poverty – over 188,000 of them children The sharp rise in the number of people living in poverty in Ireland highlights the increasing level of income inequality in this country, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. The at risk of poverty rate, as measured by […]

Scarring effects of living in persistent poverty as a child can be lifelong The Government must immediately outline how it intends to end the scandal of child poverty in Ireland, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, made her comments to mark the […]

Government is clearly not serious about ending child poverty  The Qualified Child Increase of €2 announced in yesterday’s budget has been described as shamefully inadequate by Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on Social Protection, said: “This miserly increase is an insult to vulnerable families and proves that this […]

Immediate clarity needed from Minister on several issues There are significant ambiguities in the Government’s pension proposal that need to be addressed, according to Social Democrats Social Protection spokesperson Gary Gannon. “I welcome the introduction of flexibility in the pension system – with workers being given the option of retiring at 66 or up to […]

There can be no going back to old working practises The government must introduce legislation that gives workers a legal right to work remotely – not merely the right to request flexible working arrangements, according to Social Democrats Enterprise Spokesperson Catherine Murphy. “The pandemic has been hugely difficult for people right across society – but […]

We don’t need an independent inquiry to tell us this practice is abhorrent The Defence Minister must immediately act to amend the law so that victims of rape or sexual assault in the defence forces can no longer by cross-examined by their abusers, according to Social Democrats Defence Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “The harrowing revelations of […]