News

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has called for a raft of targeted measures to help people who are increasingly forced to share rental accommodation because of rising costs and the lack of affordable homes to buy and rent. Deputy Murphy said: “Today’s report from Savills Ireland shows that a fifth of the population nationwide […]

Róisín Shortall, the co-leader of the Social Democrats, has called for Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan, to explain his role in the Maurice McCabe email affair. Speaking today after Leaders’ Questions, Deputy Shortall said; “There is an understandable focus on the Tánaiste’s role in all this. However, it is becoming clearer and clearer that the […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has strongly questioned the government’s commitment to fully implement Sláintecare, the fully costed ten-year health reform plan put forward by a cross-party Oireachtas committee. Speaking following a Dáil debate on the Sláintecare plan today, Deputy Shortall said she and other members of the Oireachtas committee which produced the Sláintecare […]

The latest house price and rent increases show the urgent need for the Government to bring in an affordable housing scheme for first time buyers and to cap rents nationwide, Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said today. Deputy Murphy made her comments as two separate reports from the ESRI and daft.ie show that the […]

Opinion: Catherine Murphy TD We need to talk about Local Property Tax. Not in a headline grabbing way that reduces it to a simple question of how much more you or I may have to pay when the controversial tax is reviewed in 2019. Not in a populist way that pits counties with higher house […]

Despite the commitments in the Programme for Government to increase paid parental leave, broaden parental choice and increase supports for stay at home parents, there is nothing in Budget 2018 for children not in formal childcare, according to the Social Democrats. Speaking after today’s Budget announcement, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore, Spokesperson on Children, said: “The reality […]

Anne-Marie McNally, the Social Democrats candidate for Dublin Mid-West, has called on the Government to avail of EU review procedures to change our VAT rates on certain products. Ms McNally highlighted some inexplicable discrepancies in the VAT rate attached to similar products such as adult crash helmets and children’s crash helmets. Children’s helmets are charged […]

The Social Democrats have put forward a 10-point plan to revive ailing and run-down main streets in towns and villages around the country. Starting at noon today, Saturday 16th September, Social Democrats members across the country will post social media images of shuttered, unused or derelict premises in their main streets, under the hashtag #ProjectMainStreet. […]

Social Democrats Councillor Jennifer Whitmore has been selected to contest the next general election for the party in the Wicklow and East Carlow constituency. Cllr Whitmore is a founding member of the Social Democrats and has represented the people of the Greystones Municipal District as a councillor since 2014. She is the party’s spokesperson for […]

The Department of Education has responded to fire safety concerns in five primary schools at a snail’s pace – putting children and teachers at unnecessary risk, Social Democrats Councillor Cian O’Callaghan said today. Cllr O’Callaghan was commenting after the Department revealed that fire safety audits it commissioned found breaches of standards at five recently-built primary […]

Opinion by Cllr Dermot Looney: Few of us need reminding of the worrying increase in childhood obesity. According to the body Safefood, one in four Irish children is overweight or obese. An astonishing 80% of children in the Republic do not meet the guidelines of at least one hour of physical activity per day. Last […]

A fire safety report published by the Department of Housing today, arising from a rapid spread of fire in the Millfield Manor housing estate in March 2015, spectacularly fails to address the very serious risks faced in homes with fire safety defects, Social Democrats councillor Cian O’Callaghan said today. Councillor O’Callaghan said: “The publication today by […]

The Social Democrats are pleased to announce that Fingal County Councillor Paul Mulville has joined the party. Mr Mulville (34) has been a councillor representing the Swords local electoral area since he first ran in the last local election in 2014 on three broad themes of accountability, representation and community. Announcing the move, the party’s […]

Official figures released today to the Social Democrats from the Department of Justice reveal the staggering number and length of time people are waiting for Free Legal Aid in Cork. In a written answer to a question from Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall, Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD noted the following figures […]