News

The Social Democrats have called on the government to put in place workable solutions to stave off the wholesale sale of Permanent TSB’s non-performing home loans to unregulated vulture funds. “It is downright insulting to mortgage holders that the Taoiseach said he hadn’t heard about a State-owned bank’s sale of its Project Glas loan portfolio […]

Social Democrats Spokesperson for Children, Cllr Jennifer Whitmore, has said concerted efforts must be made to bring down back-to-school costs so that parents don’t have to resort to money lenders or use funds earmarked for household bills. “Simply sending your children to school should not mean having to rob Peter to pay Paul by using […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said today it is morally repugnant that a State-backed corporate landlord has attempted to flout legal rent controls. The Minister for Housing needs to send a clear signal to corporate landlords that this kind of behaviour is morally repugnant, particularly at a time of chronic housing shortages and when […]

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 totally shocking that the government is presiding over a situation where our carbon emissions are actually going […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said the Minister for Health must provide clear assures that all publicly funded hospitals – including those connected to religious orders – will provide all legal healthcare services, including abortion services. “The Minister for Health needs to scotch any suggestions that patients will be denied vital services that […]

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.” […]