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Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has said the decision by Ireland’s largest waste company Panda to introduce charges for recycling is a significant retrograde step which will have far reaching consequences for Ireland’s overall environmental policy. Deputy Murphy said it was likely that other waste providers would follow Panda in charging for recycling waste […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has accused the government of betraying people with disabilities by refusing to give them the right to bring complaints to an important UN body. Deputy Shortall was commenting after it emerged from an official source that the government does not intend for the foreseeable future to ratify a crucial […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has called on Minister of State Finian McGrath to clarify when the government will ratify a crucial protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (UNCPRD). Deputy Shortall said: “The ratification of the UNCPRD is not fully complete until the government also ratifies the optional […]

On International Women’s Day, the co-leaders of the Social Democrats, Róisín Shortall TD and Catherine Murphy TD, have raised the need for more women to be involved in politics and urged people to support the referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment. Deputy Shortall said: “International Women’s Day is an important occasion to celebrate women’s many […]

The Social Democrats have called for the North’s Civic Forum to be reconstituted as a way to give voice to people left behind by the peace process. The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said the consultative forum of civil society and community groups could serve as a counterbalance to the ‘green and orange’ straitjacket of […]

Social Democrats councillor Gary Gannon has welcomed the announcement by the Lord Mayor of Dublin Mícheál MacDonncha that the city will host a two-day ‘Dublin Honours Magdalenes’ event next June. Councillor Gannon has campaigned extensively for a proper State-funded consultation with the women on how best to commemorate their suffering in the Magdalene Laundries. He […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has today called for senior civil servants Martin Fraser and Robert Watt to appear before the Public Accounts Committee to answer questions about the operation of the Strategic Communications Unit. Deputy Murphy, who is a member of the PAC, said: “An alarming aspect of the work of the SCU […]

The Social Democrats have accused Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of crossing a line by appointing the country’s top civil servant to carry out a review of the discredited Strategic Communications Unit which used public funds on covert advertising for the Ireland 2040 plan. The party’s co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said: “Leo Varadkar has clearly crossed a […]

Social Democrats’ Wicklow candidate Councillor Jennifer Whitmore has urged local authorities in areas at risk of flooding to carry out assessments and be proactive with timely advice and practical supports to local businesses and residents. Cllr Whitmore said: “There’s a real risk that, because the main focus is on the current snow storm, that we […]

The Social Democrats have called upon the Minister for Communications to ensure that contingency plans are in place to deal with any potential natural gas shortages amid supply concerns in the UK which also supplies gas to Ireland. The party’s political director Anne-Marie McNally said: “The National Grid in the UK has warned it may […]

This morning, we woke up to a red warning from Met Éireann. That should have given us certainty. Instead many of us had no idea what that means in practice. Met Éireann’s red warning on the 28th February 2018.           If the warning system was integrated with government services it would have […]

Social Democrats Spokesperson for Children, Councillor Jennifer Whitmore, has criticised the Department of Education’s advice to schools’ boards of management this morning as ‘too little, too late’. Greystones Councillor Whitmore said: “At 5.50a.m. this morning, Met Éireann issued a Status Red weather warning for snow and ice in Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Wicklow and Meath. “However, […]

Social Democrats Political Director Anne-Marie McNally has welcomed today’s decision by the Minister for Social Protection to double the payment of fuel allowance to 331,000 people this week. Ms McNally said: “With the onset of snow overnight and further exceptionally cold weather forecast over the coming days, the doubling of the fuel allowance will give […]

Co-leader of the Social Democrats, Róisín Shortall TD, today accused the Minister for Education of a “breach of faith” in relation to pluralism in education. Speaking in the Dáil today, Deputy Shortall challenged the Minister over the decision to limit five Educate Together schools to an intake of just 13 pupils next year, and his […]