Government failing growing numbers of working people at risk of poverty

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD, responding to a Social Justice Ireland report that shows more than 104,000 working people at risk of poverty, today said: “The findings of the Poverty Focus 2018 report are very disturbing and show just how much this government is failing working people and their families. “The government clearly has […]

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Minister McGrath betraying people with disabilities over crucial UN Convention

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has expressed huge disappointment over the failure of Minister Finian McGrath TD to support people with disabilities by ensuring that they have the right to bring complaints to an important UN body. Deputy Shortall said the Minister had betrayed Ireland’s 640,000 people with disabilities who now have no way […]

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Social Democrats Strongly Oppose Hypocritical Move to Invite Trump to Ireland

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit Ireland is a betrayal of Irish values, the Social Democrats said today. The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said: “The Taoiseach‘s decision to invite President Trump to Ireland is a betrayal of the values that Irish people hold dear. President Trump is an aggressive […]

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Cork County Councillor June Murphy joins the Social Democrats

The Social Democrats are pleased to announce that Cork County Councillor June Murphy has joined the party. Ms Murphy (43) is a native of Mitchelstown. She was first elected in 2014 to Cork County Council representing the people of the Fermoy Municipal District. Announcing the move, the party’s co-leaders Róisín Shortall TD and Catherine Murphy […]

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Social Democrats welcome cross-party support for renters’ rights Bill

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today introduces to the Dáil a Bill to give renters a minimum of 90 days’ notice to quit a property and to give incoming tenants access to the amount of rent paid by their predecessors. The party welcomes the backing of opposition parties Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, Labour and […]

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Minister for Justice must move on GSOC’s reform plan

The Social Democrats have voiced strong support for today’s call by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission for a radical overhaul of the legislation governing its operations to make the system of garda complaints and oversight fairer, more transparent and more efficient. Party co-leader Róisín Shortall TD called on the Minister for Justice to move swiftly […]

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Record levels of hospital overcrowding predictable

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has described today’s record high levels of hospital overcrowding as disgraceful, predictable and avoidable. Deputy Shortall was commenting on figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation which show that the number of people on trolleys and wards awaiting hospital beds has risen to a new high of 677. […]

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Minister Flanagan has questions to answer

Róisín Shortall, the co-leader of the Social Democrats, has called for Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan, to explain his role in the Maurice McCabe email affair. Speaking today after Leaders’ Questions, Deputy Shortall said; “There is an understandable focus on the Tánaiste’s role in all this. However, it is becoming clearer and clearer that the […]

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Is the government prepared to face down vested interests for radical Sláintecare health reforms?

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has strongly questioned the government’s commitment to fully implement Sláintecare, the fully costed ten-year health reform plan put forward by a cross-party Oireachtas committee. Speaking following a Dáil debate on the Sláintecare plan today, Deputy Shortall said she and other members of the Oireachtas committee which produced the Sláintecare […]

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