News

The Government’s Residential Tenancies Bill, currently being debated in the Dáil, contains welcome provisions to support people and families renting, but it still falls short of the protections that are necessary to provide certainty and security for renters. “The Social Democrats coined the phrase ‘Locked-Out Generation’ back in 2016 to highlight the issues facing the […]

The co-leader of the Social Democrats Róisín Shortall TD today sharply criticised the Minister for Health, as children are left on long waiting lists for mental health services. “The Minister needs to look at how resources are being distributed around different parts of the country. No child should be forced to endure such a wait […]

The Social Democrats today introduce a Dáil motion calling for a Government commitment that any National Broadband Plan roll-out will prioritise affordability for homes and businesses in rural Ireland. “We have to ensure that the process of awarding the contract is totally beyond reproach. There is no point in going ahead with a process if, […]

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. “Here today, we must commit ourselves to our founders’ vision. Redoubling our efforts to the building of a fair and […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said senior Garda management must be held to account and victims and communities properly compensated for the force’s utter failure to prosecute juvenile crime. “The victims of these crimes and their communities continue to pay an incredibly heavy price for the abject failure of our national police force […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has today slammed the Minister for Health for his failure to deal with the ongoing crisis in older person’s services “”In failing to properly fund home care services, the government is essentially telling older people that they simply do not care about their needs.” Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall […]

Social Democrats Spokesperson for Children, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore, has called on the Minister for Health to introduce a Meningitis B catch-up vaccination programme for children and young adults born before October 2016, when the current HSE vaccination programme was introduced. “The vaccine injections cost hundreds of euro, so it’s vital that people know they can […]

Social Democrats spokesperson on Energy and Climate Change, Cllr Cian O’Callaghan has called on the regulator to ensure consumers are much better informed about “green” electricity options. “This is the time of the year when many people are looking at ways to trim their household utility bills. Many people are keen to opt for greener […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said today’s announcement by the Minister for Health in relation to the proposed arrangements for ownership and control of the new National Maternity Hospital still leaves important questions unanswered. “Ultimately, what today’s announcement means is that the public will still pay around €350million for a new State hospital […]

Social Democrats Spokesperson for Children, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore, has called for a new national target of fully eliminating consistent child poverty over five years. “Consistent child poverty is something we should be ashamed of as a country. It has a lasting damaging effect on those who experience it and stores up huge problems for our […]