News

The Social Democrats today called for urgent measures to make private and public land available for housing in order to tackle the unprecedented housing and homeless crisis. ““We have had two housing crises in the past decade. We have to end this cycle now. We cannot rely on the market to deliver housing that is affordable […]

Social Democrats’ Spokesperson on Children, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore has said today’s ESRI-Pobal research findings that women are being shut out of the workplace by the high cost of childcare shows the need for a complete re-think of how we deliver childcare and the role the State provides in supporting parents. “High childcare costs place an […]

Dublin City Council has a responsibility and a duty to halt this sale and not discard this building and all the cultural and personal history it symbolises. “The sale of the Laundry would be an act of cultural vandalism that is wrong. The Sean McDermott St Magdalene Laundry should be turned into a centre to […]

I call on all Councillors on Dublin City Council to support the motion next Monday to halt the sale of the Sean McDermott St Laundry. “If we are to learn anything from our past, if we are to honour those who were so badly institutionalised or abused, we need to create places where we commemorate, […]

Social Democrats Dublin Bay North Cllr Cian O’Callaghan said: “Reports that the government want to shelve plans for a directly elected Mayor for Dublin and instead proceed with a directly elected Mayor in Cork as a pilot are baffling.” “We need unified democratic leadership of local government in Dublin and this postponement will only further […]

The Social Democrats have called on the Pope to acknowledge the complicity of the Catholic Church in clerical child sexual abuse in Ireland, and to commit to mandatory reporting across the world of all cases of child sexual abuse. “Ultimately actions speak louder than words and we’ve heard the apologies before. It’s long past time to move on […]

Taoiseach must raise issue of confessional secrecy on child abuse with Pope Francis “There is a direct conflict between the requirement of our legislation and Canon Law. Canon Law can never be allowed to over-ride civil law, in particular when it comes to the protection of children”. Social Democrats Spokesperson for Children Cllr. Jennifer Whitmore […]

The Social Democrats have criticised today’s announced sale by Ulster Bank of mortgages to US vulture fund Cerberus as yet another example of ordinary people paying a heavy price for the government’s policy failures. “My own experience of dealing with a vulture fund was very difficult. Ulster Bank customers affected by this sale will be […]

Responding to the shooting of a teenager girl in Ballymun last night, co-leader of the Social Democrats and local TD, Róisín Shortall has called for the full restoration of Garda numbers in Ballymun. “Not a day goes by that I don’t hear a report of a burglary, drug dealing, or serious anti-social behaviour. The fact […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has welcomed today’s adoption by the government of the Sláintecare health reform – but questioned its urgency in implementing it. “Today’s announcement is a resounding endorsement of the cross-party Sláintecare vision for a universal, single-tier health system.” Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has welcomed today’s adoption by the […]