Lack of transparency over Taoiseach’s planning intervention is cause for alarm

The Social Democrats have expressed serious concern that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s meddling in the planning process for a wind farm at the behest of Donald Trump left no trace in official planning files. The party’s co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said: “The Taoiseach has now changed his story about what actions he took after he was […]

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Government must wake up to public perceptions of widespread corruption

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has said the government needs to wake up to the disturbing findings of a new poll that shows more than two thirds of people consider the problem of corruption to be widespread in Ireland. Deputy Murphy was commenting on the latest Eurobarometer public opinion survey by the European Commission […]

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Government’s long-overdue white-collar crime measures welcome but continue fragmented approach to tackling corruption

The Social Democrats have said white-collar crime reforms announced today by the government are welcome and long-overdue but lack critical detail and continue the fragmented approach to tackling corruption in all its forms. The party’s joint leader Catherine Murphy TD said: “Several of the new measures are welcome and long-overdue, especially the proposed overhaul of […]

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Priorities for new Dáil term focus on housing, health, sustainable growth and anti-corruption

The Social Democrats today set out the party’s priorities for the new Dáil term, with a focus on effective measures to address people’s housing and health needs, ensure sustainable economic growth, and tackle corruption. Speaking ahead of the resumption of the Dáil after the summer break, the party’s joint leaders said tackling the ongoing crises […]

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Government legislative programme sets bar pathetically low in tackling corruption

The government’s legislative programme for the new Dáil term totally lacks any sign of ambition when it comes to tackling corruption and white-collar crime, the Social Democrats said today. The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said: “It is both pathetic and dispiriting that the government has set the bar so low in terms of tackling […]

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Government cynically presents five year old corruption bill as ‘new’ in a bid to look busy

The government has resorted to cynically re-announcing a pre-existing corruption bill in a bid to make itself look busy, Róisín Shortall TD said today. The co-leader of the Social Democrats was commenting on the announcement by the Minister for Justice that the Criminal Justice (Corruption Offences) Bill 2017 was discussed at cabinet yesterday. “This Bill […]

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Government rebuked for its appalling record in preventing corruption

The Social Democrats have said the government’s appalling record on tackling corruption has led to it being rebuked today by the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body, GRECO. The party co-leader Róisín Shortall TD was commenting on a GRECO report which found that Ireland’s level of compliance with its recommendations were “globally unsatisfactory”. The anti-corruption body […]

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