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Government Failing Fishing Community

This sector has been continually neglected by the government Today’s large protest by fishers from around country highlights the frustration and fear felt by coastal communities, according to Social Democrats Agriculture, Food and the Marine Spokesperson Holly Cairns. “This sector has been continually neglected by the government. Any marginal engagement was too little too late. In response […]

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Government Has No Plan To Provide Real Choice In Education

We cannot rely on the Catholic Church to voluntarily relinquish control of the education system. The government is paying lip-service to the idea of a fully inclusive education system, according Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon was responding to a report today noting the government’s plan to provide 400 multi-denominational primary schools by […]

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Minister Must Repudiate Mother and Baby Homes Report

What is presented as the truth is, at best, heavily disputed and, at worst, a whitewashed fiction  It is astonishing that the Children’s Minster is still standing over the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes – despite conceding its members misapplied the law, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. […]

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Climate Action Cannot Come At Expense Of Those Who Can Least Afford It

Climate Action Bill pays lip service to the concept of ‘just transition’  Climate action cannot come at the expense of those workers and communities who can least afford it, according to Social Democrats Climate Spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action, said: “The Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action […]

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Mother and Baby Homes Report Must Be Repudiated

The members of this Commission have steadfastly refused to appear before our Committee to answer questions The Mother and Baby Homes report has rewritten Irish history and must be repudiated by the government, according to Social Democrats TD, and Oireachtas Children’s Committee member, Holly Cairns. “Following the participation of one of the members of the […]

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Sex education should be factual – and facts don’t have an ethos

As recently as last month the Vatican stated the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions as God “cannot bless sin” It is wrong for religious ethos to influence the content of relationships and sexuality education, according Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon, who was commenting on the publication of a new sexual education programme developed […]

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Digital apprenticeships could be powerful driver of inclusive prosperity

[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’ Spokesperson on Education Equality and Access, Cllr Gary Gannon, has said a large scale digital vocational training programme aimed at the unemployed and underemployed could be a powerful driver of inclusive prosperity. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https://staging.socialdemocrats.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Gary-Gannon-ii-e1486566101959.jpg” align=”center” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”3.9″ max_width=”50%” /][et_pb_text admin_label=”Headline” _builder_version=”3.9″] [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text […]

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Clear steps needed to end inequality in access to college

Social Democrats spokesperson on Education Equality and Access, Gary Gannon, has said clear steps must be taken to end our two-tier education system which means privately educated young people have greater access to college. Commenting on the publication today of The Irish Times league tables, Councillor Gannon said: “It’s no surprise to see that fee-paying […]

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Unforgivable that Ireland is at the bottom of the class when it comes to college fees

Commenting on a European Commission study which shows that Irish third-level students pay the second-highest college fees in Europe, Councillor Gary Gannon, the Social Democrats’ Spokesperson on Education Equality and Access said: “Ireland is clearly at the bottom of the class in Europe when it comes to college fees for undergraduate students. Our undergraduate students are charged […]

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