News

The findings of a report on the treatment of disability and carer’s benefit applicants are a damning indictment of a system that routinely fails the very people it’s supposed to support, according to Social Democrats social protection spokesperson Liam Quaide. Deputy Quaide said: “According to the Citizens Information Board (CIB) report, people applying for disability […]

Decisions made in relation to Gaza and Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly over the next few weeks will serve as a marker of the international community’s credibility and humanity, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: “With the Trump administration’s refusal to grant visas to the Palestinian delegation […]

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 […]

The threats presented by AI are not being taken seriously by government, which has chosen to only prepare for the potential benefits of its use, according to Social Democrats enterprise spokesperson Sinéad Gibney. Deputy Gibney, who is a member of the Oireachtas Committee for Artificial Intelligence, said: “While establishing an AI office is a step […]

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 […]

Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins has called on the Minister for Education to make immediate contact with Fórsa and confirm that the government is now willing to put the issue of pensions on the table as part of any negotiations to end the week-long strike by school secretaries and caretakers. Deputy Cummins, who is the […]

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 government’s newly launched Disability Strategy 2025-20230 is full of aspirational language but lacks funding commitments or implementation details, according to Social Democrats disability spokesperson Liam Quaide. Deputy Quaide said: “For a sector that is so deep in crisis, across all areas – be it educational placements, access to therapies or residential services – a […]

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 […]

Due to the severity of August’s pollution incident in the River Blackwater, Cork, the Gardaí must be tasked with assisting in the uncovering of the fish kill’s root cause, according to Social Democrats environment spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore said: “I welcome the expanded investigation into what was truly a disastrous event – our rivers […]