News

The closure of The Complex arts centre will have devastating effects for Dublin’s cultural scene, according to Social Democrats arts spokesperson Sinéad Gibney. Deputy Gibney said: “The Complex has been home to exhibitions, gigs, and studio spaces since 2019 – it is now one of the most established cultural hubs in the city, with its […]

Changes to phased dispensing under the new Community Pharmacy Agreement is effectively a cost-cutting measure that will compromise patient safety, according to Social Democrats Health spokesperson Pádraig Rice. Deputy Rice said: “The Minister claims that the introduction of ‘improved controls’ around phased dispensing is being done in a way that puts patient safety first. However, […]

The government must do everything possible to prevent a group of institutional abuse survivors from resuming a hunger strike, according to Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins. Deputy Cummins, who is the party’s spokesperson on education, said: “Three and a half weeks have now passed since these four survivors – who were wronged in childhood and […]

Government decisions are a core barrier to the development of the infrastructure essential for housing provision, according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne. Deputy Hearne said: “The Government is trying to ignore that it has been decades of underinvestment, poor delivery, management and planning by successive Fianna Fail and Fine Gael governments that has […]

The government has turned its back on vulnerable families by ignoring advice to provide targeted energy credits this winter, according to Social Democrats energy spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore said: “Without energy credits, the average household will be hit by an extra €321 in electricity costs per year – vulnerable families will indefinitely be pushed […]

Disabled people will experience increased hardship this winter because of the government’s failure to introduce a weekly cost of disability payment and other targeted supports in the budget, according to Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide. Speaking on International Day of Disabled Persons, Deputy Quaide, who is the party’s spokesperson on disability, said: “Next Tuesday, the […]

The publication today of the Accelerating Infrastructure report is overshadowed by the government’s decision to postpone delivery of DART+ South West and the Luas extension to Finglas, according to Social Democrats Finance, Public Expenditure and Infrastructure spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “At today’s launch of Accelerating Infrastructure, bold claims were made by the Taoiseach, […]

“Today’s historic visit by President Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska provides the people of Ireland with a timely opportunity to reaffirm our solidarity with the citizens of Ukraine. “It’s now approaching four years since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine began. With the country under relentless attack from Putin’s murderous regime, the Ukrainian people have […]

Today’s report from the Health Information and Quality Authority lays bare Tusla’s inability to deliver on its mission to protect vulnerable children and young people, according to Social Democrats children spokesperson Aidan Farrelly. Deputy Farrelly said: “When children are telling inspectors that their life has gotten worse since coming into care, you have to question […]

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has called for immediate government action after it emerged today that just 10 per cent of Ireland’s historic landfills have been certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s environment spokesperson, said: “Waste from old landfills is buried underground in every county in Ireland, often […]