Meet Róisín

Róisín Shortall is a co-founder of the Social Democrats and a TD for Dublin North-West.

She has been re-elected at every general election since first winning a Dáil seat in 1992, giving her over 30 years’ experience in national politics.

A former primary school teacher with a degree in Economics and Politics, Róisín has throughout her career been particularly vocal on social justice issues, in all its forms, and good governance.

She is a former Minister of State at the Department of Health and chaired the All-Party Committee on the Future of Healthcare which produced the Sláintecare reform plan for the Irish health service.

Róisín is passionate about accountability and fair distribution of resources.

Healthcare is a human right – not a commodity. Healthcare should be equally accessible and free at the point of access, not dependant on your ability to pay.

Róisín’s Priorities

  • Ensure the full implementation of Sláintecare.
  • Establish universal access to quality public services based on fair taxation.
  • End child poverty.
  • Drive down the cost of housing.
  • Reverse the creeping privatisation of health and social care services.
  • Establish a statutory right to homecare.
  • Increase capacity of primary care including all essential therapies.
  • Introduce the Living Wage.

Latest News

ESRI analysis of budget highlights Government’s failure to tackle poverty

An analysis of Budget 2025 by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) provides further evidence that the Government have prioritised electoral gain over lifting vulnerable groups out of poverty, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “Despite the headline grabbing short-term measures announced on Tuesday, the ESRI has warned that poverty among the […]

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Budget 2025 is a giveaway on steroids

Today’s budget is a giveaway on steroids that is bad for the public and bad for the State, according to Social Democrats finance spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “Budget 2025 has just one overriding purpose – self-preservation of the Government parties. “It bears all the hallmarks of a Bertie Budget – hardly surprising when you consider that […]

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Social Democrats launch Alternative Budget 2025

The Social Democrats have launched their Alternative Budget 2025 – titled ‘Building Services, Building Communities’ – which focuses on investment in public services to drive down the cost of living, targets support at those who need it most and prioritises children and families. Investing in affordable housing; creating a public model of childcare; increasing parent’s […]

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