News

Catherine Murphy TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats, has accused the Government of relying on a ‘fingers crossed’ approach to managing the risks posed by international travel at our ports and airports. Speaking in the Dáil today, Deputy Murphy said: “Ireland is due to sign up to the European traffic light system for international travel […]

Social Democrats TD for Cork South-West, Holly Cairns, has welcomed confirmation from the Taoiseach in the Dáil today that all survivors of institutional abuse will be able to access their own personal data. Holly said: “Last week, the Government changed its policy to allow people access to their own information. The natural extension is that […]

Co-leader of the Social Democrats, Róisín Shortall TD, today called on the Taoiseach to undertake an immediate review of the code of conduct for office holders in the wake of the Tánaiste’s admission that he leaked a confidential agreement between the Government and the IMO in 2019. Deputy Shortall said: “This episode has been very […]

Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, Jennifer Whitmore, has called for the re-establishment of the Collaborative Forum for Survivors of Mother and Baby and Bethany Homes, which has not met since December 2019. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson for Children, raised the issue with the Taoiseach in the Dáil today. She said: “The Collaborative […]

Social Democrats view with extreme concern allegations made in current edition of the Village Magazine concerning the Tanáiste and the alleged leaking of confidential documents, which appear to have been under Cabinet consideration at the time. Co-leader Róisín Shortall TD called on the Tanáiste to make a statement: “In view of the import of these […]

Social Democrats TD for Cork South-West, Holly Cairns, has cautiously welcomed the Government’s U-turn on the rights of survivors of Mother and Baby Homes to access their personal information but called for the Commission of Investigation report to be released to survivors as soon as possible. Holly said: “Thankfully, after almost two weeks of public […]

Dublin Bay North TD and Social Democrats spokesperson for Housing, Cian O’Callaghan, has said that barriers to accessing emergency accommodation must be removed as homeless figures remain too high. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “The latest figures released by the Department of Housing show that the number of people becoming homeless and living in emergency accommodation remains […]

Cork South West TD Holly Cairns has called on the Government to lead by example by providing suitable facilities for public service workers who are breastfeeding. Holly said: “I have been contacted by some mothers who had recently returned to work in the public service but the only space made available for them to express […]

Dublin Central TD Gary Gannon has called on the Minister for Education to come into the Dáil next week and account for the latest recall of sanitiser products from schools. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on Education, said: “Just one week after the ViraPro hand sanitiser brand was recalled from schools due to […]

Social Democrats Councillor for Trim Municipal District, Ronan Moore, has expressed grave concern after the HSE confirmed that hundreds of occupational and speech and language therapists continue to be redeployed for testing and contact tracing, while children needing assessments are being told to wait. In response to a Parliamentary Question from Social Democrats co-leader Róisín […]

Responding to the reports in the Irish Examiner that the government did not follow the Data Protection Commissioner’s (DPC) advice on the Mother and Baby Homes Bill, the Social Democrats spokesperson for children, Jennifer Whitmore TD called on the Minister for Children to immediately publish the advice given to the Department by the DPC. Deputy […]

Róisín Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats, has called on the HSE to issue urgent medical advice after a hand sanitiser product used in schools was recalled due to a potential public health risk. Deputy Shortall, who is the party’s spokesperson for Health, said: “The priority at this point has to be to get […]

Jennifer Whitmore TD, Social Democrats spokesperson for Children, has called on the Government parties to allow a vote of conscience on controversial legislation that would seal the records of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby homes for 30 years. Deputy Whitmore said: “This is a very emotive and sensitive issue. I have spoken […]

Social Democrats Housing spokesperson and Dublin Bay North TD, Cian O’Callaghan, has tabled amendments to the Residential Tenancies Bill 2020 that would see the ban on evictions extended for six months. Deputy O’Callaghan said: “Today, I’m proposing an amendment to the Residential Tenancies Bill 2020 that would extend the ban on evictions for six months. Yo-yoing in and […]