Government must now take full stock of children’s hospital project

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.8″ custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.8″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”excerpt” disabled_on=”on|on|on” _builder_version=”3.9″ disabled=”on”] Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said the government must now take stock of all options for the National Children’s Hospital following today’s offer by building contractor BAM. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://www.socialdemocrats.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Roisin-media-e1511219123721-1.jpg” align=”center” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”3.9″ max_width=”84%”]   [/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Headline” _builder_version=”3.9″] [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Body Text” _builder_version=”3.9″] “Instead of […]

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Political urgency needed in implementing Sláintecare

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said the Minister for Health needs to show political courage and urgency in implementing the Sláintecare health reform plan which was published a year ago today [30th May 2018]. Deputy Shortall chaired the cross-party Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Healthcare which produced the fully-costed ten-year Sláintecare blueprint for […]

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Opinion: Harvesting the personal data of children for marketing purposes is repugnant

WITH NEW EU-WIDE data protection laws on the way, there has been a lot of discussion about the digital age of consent, but not a lot of clarity on what it actually is. Despite what you may have heard, it’s not about putting age restrictions on access to the internet, or limiting young people’s expression […]

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Attorney General’s public comments are gross interference

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today accused the Attorney General of inappropriate and gross interference in legislative and judicial matters that he has no place commenting on. The Dublin north west TD said: “The job of the chief law officer of the state is to advise the government – not to weigh in with […]

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Government inaction on GP crisis means medical card holders denied basic services

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has strongly criticised Government inaction on the crisis in General Practice which means medical card patients are increasingly being refused access to basic GP services. Deputy Shortall said: “Today’s Sunday Business Post health feature clearly demonstrates that there is a very real crisis in General Practice where increasingly medical […]

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Assurances needed on right to bring complaints under UN disability rights convention

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has called on Minister of State Finian McGrath to clarify when the government will ratify a crucial protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (UNCPRD). Deputy Shortall said: “The ratification of the UNCPRD is not fully complete until the government also ratifies the optional […]

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Social Democrats’ second National Conference marks a year of strong growth

The Social Democrats’ second National Conference – to be held in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin this weekend – marks a year of significant growth and progress for the party. The event will see members and supporters from around the country gather on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th January to discuss the party’s policies and priorities […]

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External inquiry into missing McCabe emails must provide straight answers

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said the barrister-led inquiry into why crucial emails were not sent by the Department of Justice to the Charleton Tribunal must be comprehensive and must provide straight answers to the many outstanding questions. Deputy Shortall said: “I welcome the appointment tonight of senior counsel Michael Collins to lead […]

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Toland Review group should monitor and oversee reform in dysfunctional Department of Justice

The independent Toland Review group which found the Department of Justice to be closed and secretive should be invited back to conduct an urgent progress update on its reform recommendations, the Social Democrats said today. The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said: “The events of the past few days have exposed major problems once again […]

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Minister for Justice must end evasion and answer key questions about McCabe email affair

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan still has important questions to answer in relation to his department’s handling of the McCabe email affair, the co-leader of the Social Democrats, Róisín Shortall TD, said tonight. Deputy Shortall accused the Minister of evasion in how he handled a series of questions which she raised with him in the […]

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