News

Students will understandably feel abandoned by the Government Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has called on the Minister for Education to end ongoing uncertainty over when this year’s Junior Certificate results will be issued. Deputy Gannon, the party’s Education spokesperson, said: “The thousands of students who sat exams in June are fully entitled to know […]

This is devastating blow for the students involved, who have spent thousands of euro on this degree Students in Dublin Business School who have spent significant sums on a degree in Applied Social Care deserve answers about why the course has not been accredited by the regulator, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. […]

We need to make primary and secondary school education genuinely free An increase in the number of families struggling to pay back-to-school costs underscores the depths of the cost-of-living crisis, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon was responding to a new study from the Irish League of Credit Unions which found […]

It is now  just days before schools close for the summer – and 106 children are still without a class for next year Minister for Special Education Josepha Madigan must clarify if she misrepresented the position of four schools she claimed had not engaged with the Department about special education classes, according to Social Democrats […]

Students are paying the price of the State Examination Commission’s failure to plan It is completely unacceptable that Leaving Cert results will not be issued until September 2, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “Delaying the Leaving Cert results until September 2 will cause huge levels of additional stress and worry. It will […]

It is not acceptable that children can be taught relationships should be placed in a hierarchy, depending on sexual orientation The refusal of a school in Wicklow to include LGBTQI+ relationships in its Relationships and Sexuality Education is an indictment of the government’s failure to reform the curriculum, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary […]

Ultimately, we need to ensure that equity is at the heart of these changes Plans announced today to reform the Leaving Cert are long overdue but welcome, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “The first Leaving Cert exams took place in 1924 and, prior to 2020, remained largely unchanged in the intervening period. […]

The Taoiseach has been quite vague about the reasons for the expulsion of these four diplomats The decision to expel four Russian diplomats is welcome – but raises further questions, according to Social Democrats Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “I welcome today’s announcement today that the government has expelled four Russian diplomats from Ireland. However, […]

Today’s news is a bright day for the north inner city, as we remember a very dark period in our history Confirmation that a National Centre for Research and Remembrance will be located at the site of the former Magdalene Laundry on Sean McDermott Street is a victory for survivors, according to Social Democrats Dublin […]

At the European Council meeting today, the Taoiseach should propose that Russian ambassadors across the region are expelled en masse The Russian invasion of Ukraine is unprecedented, unprovoked and perverse, according to Social Democrats Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “What we are witnessing is unprecedented in Europe in our lifetimes –  a full-scale assault and […]

The report has highlighted the extent of the crisis within our Defence Forces Improved pay and conditions for members of the Defence Forces are a critical component in bolstering our defence capabilities, according to Social Democrats Defence Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “I welcome the release of the report of the Commission of the Defence Forces, which […]

This year is not a normal year, so we cannot have a ‘normal’ Leaving Cert The decision not to proceed with a hybrid Leaving Cert this year is a crushing blow for students and their families, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “This year’s Leaving Cert students have suffered two years of upheaval […]

We need to provide students with more choice than just the traditional Leaving Cert Education Minister Norma Foley must urgently make a decision on the format of this year’s state examinations and immediately publish a report from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) on permanent reform of the Leaving Cert, according to Social […]

Today we learn that schools will have to choose between Hepa filters and other essential works Clarity is urgently needed on the provision of Hepa filters for schools, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “At the weekend, it was reported that a €30 million scheme was being finalised to provide air filtration units […]