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Social Democrats children spokesperson Aidan Farrelly has today slammed the government’s latest response to juvenile anti-social behaviour. Deputy Farrelly said: “I am getting sick and tired of seeing politicians and commentators conflate anti-social behaviour and criminal activity. “Anti-social behaviour is defined as nuisance or disturbance, such as hanging around or making noise – things that […]

Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice has described confirmation that Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) is to be integrated into the HSE by 2027 as an inevitable consequence of the organisation’s litany of failures. Deputy Rice, who is the party’s health spokesperson, said: “This is welcome news, but hardly a surprising development given the succession of controversies […]

During questions on policy and legislation today, Taoiseach Micheál Martin failed to guarantee there will be effective anti-child poverty measures in the upcoming budget, according to Social Democrats children spokesperson Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly said: “We’ve got record levels of child poverty, record levels of child homelessness, and tens of thousands of children waiting on […]

Next month’s budget must include targeted measures to tackle deeply concerning child poverty levels, according to Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly, who is the party’s spokesperson on children, said: “New research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) shows that more than 225,000 children are now subject to income poverty, when housing […]

Figures released by the Department of Education showing a small reduction in class sizes do not reflect the reality faced by many schools and should be taken with a pinch of salt, according to the Social Democrats. Deputy Jen Cummins, who is the party’s education spokesperson, said: “The headline figure published by the department suggests […]

The State must recognise and act on the Ombudsman for Children’s call for the National Review Panel to be put on a statutory footing, according to Social Democrats children spokesperson Aidan Farrelly. The National Review Panel (NRP) investigates serious incidents including the deaths of children in care or known to the child protection system. Deputy […]

The Minister for Health must take some share of responsibility for the latest delay to the National Children’s Hospital, according to Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice, who is the party’s health spokesperson, said: “When questioned earlier today on when the new hospital would open, Minister Carroll Mac Neill flippantly suggested that people should […]

Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide is seeking full transparency from the HSE on the cost of outsourcing Assessments of Need and has called for proper State investment in primary care services. Deputy Quaide, who is the party’s spokesperson on disability, said: “I have submitted parliamentary questions to each of the six health regions, seeking a breakdown of costs […]

Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly has called on the Minister for Children to provide full details of the review she has requested Tusla to carry out in the case of a missing child in north county Dublin. Deputy Farrelly, who is the party’s spokesperson on children, said: “The entire country is in shock as the […]

Social Democrats TDs Rory Hearne and Jen Cummins today handed in a letter to the Minister for Education on behalf of three Dublin families struggling to secure special education places for their children. Deputy Hearne, who is a TD for Dublin North-West, has taken up the cases of three children in his constituency – Riley […]