News

Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson and T.D. for Dublin Bay North,  Cian O’Callaghan has called on the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to regulate short term lets in response to the sudden rise in Airbnb-style units that are available for longer-term rent on Daft.ie. Deputy Cian O’Callaghan said: ‘The Daft.ie Housing Market Report released today (Tuesday 9th […]

Cork South West TD, Holly Cairns, Social Democrat spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, has called on Minister Creed to immediately review the Covid-19 tie-up scheme. It is designed to adjust the supply of fish coming onto a currently depressed market and protect quota availability for later in the year; however, many fishing communities […]

Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, and Spokesperson for Communications, Jennifer Whitmore has called for the Government to move quickly to provide additional funding to the Trading Online Voucher Scheme (TOV) for small businesses, after it has come to light that new applications for the scheme have been stalled due to a lack of funding. The […]

Social Democrats Spokesperson for Climate Change and Biodiversity, Jennifer Whitmore TD., believes that the time has come to use nature-based solutions (NbS) to deal with many of the environmental problems facing us, including many of the challenges of the climate emergency. “This World Environment Day, Friday 5th June, let’s appreciate the power and the value of […]

Speaking in the Dáil, on Rural and Community Development, Cork South West TD Holly Cairns, called on Minister Ring to ensure that the community sector is properly funded in light of the Covid-19 emergency. An over-reliance on fundraising and inconsistent government funding, results in poorly resourced services which cannot properly plan or develop. Holly explains: […]

Anne-Marie McNally, Political Communications Director for the Social Democrats to join the Housing Alliance as Executive Director. “I am hugely excited to announce that I will take-up the role of Executive Director of the Housing Alliance commencing mid-July. I have worked in front line politics in Leinster House and locally in my own community, for […]

The Social Democrats have today condemned the actions of President Donald Trump and all who seek to fuel racial tensions and racial inequality both at home and abroad. The party reiterated its previous assertion that Donald Trump’s style of politics is regressive, demeaning and now downright dangerous. Party co-leader Catherine Murphy said: “What we are […]

Jennifer Whitmore, Social Democrat spokesperson for biodiversity, and Holly Cairns TD, spokesperson for Agriculture, have called on Coillte to extend nationwide their recreational and biodiversity initiative for Dublin. Coillte have announced that nine Dublin forests will transition away from commercial activities of felling and replanting cycles towards a model of planting native broad-leaf varieties. The […]

Social Democrats spokesperson for Children Deputy Jennifer Whitmore has said that there should be no rowing back on support put in place for the childcare sector, and instead the state should build on these measures to finally create a national public childcare system. Deputy Whitmore said: When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, it quickly exposed the […]

Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon today called on Minister Donohoe to immediately backdate the payments to women excluded from TWSS because they were on maternity leave. Gary Gannon TD said: “As expected, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has found that the exclusion of women returning to work after maternity leave from the Temporary […]

Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has welcomed Minister Regina Doherty’s reply to him in the Dáil today regarding recent media discussions about a clawback on pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) for some groups including lone parents. Deputy Gannon has been pursuing this issue for some time now and has been highlighting the fear and panic it […]

Speaking on Wednesday in the Dáil, Cork South West TD, Holly Cairns, raised the issue of a proposed retail outlet centre in east Cork which the Office of the Planning Regulator has made a recommendation against. The ‘Kildare Village’ type centre requires a variation to the County Development Plan to go ahead- a move supported […]

Róisín Shortall, TD and co-leader of the Social Democrats, has welcomed the Minister for Health’s commitment at her request in the Dáil today to look into immediate publication of the refreshed version of A Vision for Change. She said, “Given the urgent situation facing mental health providers in the context of Covid-19, the refreshed policy […]

Social Democrats T.D. for Dublin Bay North, Cian O’Callaghan has expressed serious concerns about the terms of the job losses at DAA. Deputy Cian O’Callaghan said: ‘Questions have to be asked as to why voluntary redundancies are weighted towards longest-serving staff? I have a concern that this effort to let the older staff go is […]