News

Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, Jennifer Whitmore, has expressed concern about the new assessment of needs system, which she believes is failing children and families. She made her comments after parents and child development experts attended a meeting of the Oireachtas Children’s Committee. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson for Children, voiced a number […]

Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, Jennifer Whitmore, has welcomed today’s Cabinet approval to extend Parental Leave by a further three weeks. However, she has urged the Department of Children to make it payable to parents at the start of the new year and not in April 2021, as proposed in the Budget. Deputy Whitmore, who […]

Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns has expressed outrage at plans for a Strategic Housing Development and apartment blocks in the vicinity of Bessborough Mother and Baby Institution in Cork city. After raising the issue with the Taoiseach in the Dáil today, Holly said: “More than 900 children died while in the care of nuns at […]

Social Democrats Housing spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan T.D. said: “A significant number of people who are sleeping rough on our streets and in tents are being denied access to emergency accommodation. The Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien T.D. stated on Morning Ireland that no-one is being turned away from emergency accommodation. This statement is simply incorrect. […]

Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, Jennifer Whitmore, has called for a significant increase in funding for environmental organisations. She made the call after it was revealed by the Irish Environmental Network that its organisations received on average only €13,000 from the Environment Fund in the Department of Environment. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson […]

Social Democrats TD for Cork South-West, Holly Cairns, has again highlighted the devastating mental toll that Covid-19 restrictions in maternity hospitals are having on expectant parents. For the past number of months, Holly has been one of the most prominent voices in the campaign to have restrictions relaxed and today voiced her frustration at the […]

Speaking on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns said it is important for the State to recognise the challenges, achievements and realities of being a person with a disability in Ireland. Holly, who is the Social Democrats spokesperson for Disability Issues, said: “This year, the World Health Organisation celebrates the […]

The Social Democrats have given a cautious welcome to a report from a review group, led by retired judge James Hamilton. The Hamilton Review contains 25 recommendations and aims to tackle white collar crime in a far more uniform way. The challenge now for Government is to adopt and implement these recommendations. Social Democrats Justice spokesperson, […]

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has called for immediate Government action following the publication of data by Met Éireann which shows that Ireland’s weather in 2020 indicates further evidence of climate change. Met Éireann has revealed that: 2020 was a record-breaking year in Ireland for February rainfall and dry spring. Extreme weather patterns experienced in […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has called on the Government to end the exploitation of student nurses and midwives who have been expected to fill gaps in our chronically under-funded health service during the pandemic. Speaking in support of a motion on the issue from Solidarity-People Before Profit today, Deputy Shortall said: “It should […]

Catherine Murphy TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats, has called on the Government to consider using spare capacity in the testing system to prevent future outbreaks in hospitals and other settings. Speaking during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil today, Deputy Murphy said: “Since the outset of the pandemic, the advice has been that testing is […]

Social Democrats Housing spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan TD has expressed very serious concern about the number of people sleeping rough who are being excluded from emergency accommodation. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “I’m very concerned about the spike in the numbers of homeless deaths. It’s about 35% higher than this time last year. Behind each number is a […]

Social Democrats councillor for the Rush-Lusk ward, Paul Mulville, has welcomed clarification from the Health Service Executive regarding the future transfer of patients from the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum to Portrane. Cllr Mulville said: “Recent media reports, which suggested that the M50 motorway would be closed to facilitate the transfer to patients next year […]

The Kildare grouping of Social Democrats councillors – Cllr Nuala Killeen, Cllr Chris Pender and Cllr Aidan Farrelly – have secured a firm commitment from Kildare County Council to ringfence the first €250,000 of any potential funding increases in 2021 for community services. During the 2021 Annual Budget meeting, the Social Democrats councillors proposed a […]