News

A Social Democrats’ private members bill to increase to six months the amount of unpaid parental leave available to working parents goes to final stage in the Dáil tomorrow, Wednesday 13th June. The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017 aims to help working families enjoy better work-life balance by permitting parents to spend more time caring […]

Social Democrats’ Councillor Cian O’Callaghan has said the dangerous use of quads and scramblers by teenagers and children has been allowed to reach epidemic levels. Speaking after a man was seriously injured when he was struck by a scrambler bike in Darndale Park at the weekend, the Dublin Bay North councillor said: “The misuse of […]

Commenting on the report of the Fire Safety Task Force, Social Democrats Councillor Cian O’Callaghan said today: “The report of the Fire Safety Task Force Fire Safety in Ireland, published a year after the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower, fails to examine the extensive problem of structural fire safety defects in Celtic Tiger era developments. […]

Social Democrats spokesperson on Energy and Climate Change Councillor Cian O’Callaghan has said proposed reductions in the Public Service Obligation Levy (PSO), made today by the Energy Regulator, should be passed onto customers. Under the proposed new rate for 2018/2019 the PSO on electricity bills would reduce by 45% and would mean decreases of about […]

Commenting on today’s conviction of the former Anglo-Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm on fraud charges, Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has said lessons must be learned for future white-collar crime prosecutions. Deputy Murphy said: “Ten years on from the 2008 banking collapse that cost the country its economic sovereignty, the fact that a […]

In the wake of the liquidation of Sammon construction, Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has demanded that Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton prioritise the completion of the Maynooth Post Primary Schools projects. Catherine Murphy, Kildare North TD said: “It is absolutely vital that any delays to the Maynooth Post Primary project are kept to an absolute minimum. This critically important project for Maynooth and North Kildare cannot […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has called on the government to dismantle the discriminatory system of direct provision, saying today’s constitutional ruling should be the final nail in its coffin. Deputy Shortall said: “Today’s Court of Appeal ruling recognises that a child with Irish citizenship living in direct provision is entitled to child benefit […]

Despite the growing issue of youth crime, figures released to Róisín Shortall TD have revealed that powers granted to the gardaí to tackle the problem are not being used. Since their introduction in 2008 the number of Behaviour Warnings issued by the Gardaí has fallen by 85%. Deputy Shortall explained: “When a child or young […]

The Social Democrats are pleased to announce that businesswoman Tracey Carey has been selected to contest the next general election for the party in the Dublin Fingal constituency. Tracey is the fourth woman candidate selected by the SocDems this week, joining 16 other candidates selected to date to contest the next general election for the […]

The Social Democrats have called for safe access zones to be considered to protect women accessing abortion services in GP clinics and hospitals from intimidation by anti-abortion protestors. The party’s political director, Anne Marie McNally, said: “We need to start thinking about women’s safety and security once our abortion services are up and running. During […]

Equality and rights activist Sinéad Gibney will launch her Social Democrats general election campaign for the Dún Laoghaire constituency tonight at a public event mc’d by comedian Des Bishop. Sinéad, a lifelong activist and campaigner, recently played a very active role in Dún Laoghaire Together for Yes. Sinéad served as the inaugural Director of the […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has said official social housing build figures have lost all credibility and the Minister must take drastic action to tackle the housing emergency. Deputy Murphy was commenting on reports showing that local authorities built only about half of the number of social houses that were officially recorded in figures […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said the Minister for Health needs to show political courage and urgency in implementing the Sláintecare health reform plan which was published a year ago today [30th May 2018]. Deputy Shortall chaired the cross-party Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Healthcare which produced the fully-costed ten-year Sláintecare blueprint for […]

The Social Democrats have offered their public support to tomorrow’s Standing4Women demonstration which will take place outside the Dáil at 5p.m. with simultaneous demonstrations happening across the country. Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said that the issues facing women in this country have for too long been swept under the carpet and not given […]