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Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said that serious questions remain following today’s cabinet meeting on the Cervical Check crisis and that the public should not have to wait until the outcome of a formal investigation to get answers. Deputy Shortall also called on the government to expedite legislation to allow for a statutory […]

On foot of Assistant Garda Commissioner Pat Leahy’s warning of a “significant feud” in Ballymun, TD for the area Róisín Shortall has hit out at the shocking drop in the number of Gardaí stationed in Ballymun. Figures released to Deputy Shortall have revealed the number of sergeants in the area has been halved, from 24 at […]

Dublin Bay North Social Democrats Cllr. Cian O’Callaghan has called for Irish Rail to put staff and security in place at Clongriffin Dart Station following today’s graffiti attack. Cllr. O’Callaghan said: “In what Irish Rail has described as an “unprecedented graffiti attack”, a group of people blocked the doors of a train with pieces of […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has welcomed today’s announcement by Google that it is to follow the lead of Facebook and restrict referendum advertisements. Deputy Murphy said: “While I welcome today’s announcement by Google and yesterday’s similar move by Facebook, we cannot leave the fate of our democratic decision making to the good intentions […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called on the Minister for Health to appoint a new head of the HSE on an interim basis – and to only fill the post permanently once key accountability reforms are carried out. Deputy Shortall said: “At the heart of the Cervical Check crisis is a lack of […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today called on the Minister for Health to relieve Mr Thomas Lynch of his chairmanship of Irish hospital boards, saying his public-sector positions are incompatible with his extensive involvement in big pharma and medical supplies companies and his private fundraising efforts for the Taoiseach. Deputy Shortall said: “Mr Lynch […]

Social Democrats Political Director and Consumer Affairs Spokesperson Anne-Marie McNally has called on Government to urgently address the serious deficiencies in financial literacy education and to maximise free banking and micro-financing options particularly for those on lower incomes. A reply to a parliamentary question received by the Social Democrats this week indicates that only 50% […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has today called on the government to bring in nationwide rent caps as figures from Daft.ie show that rents across the country have once more reached an all-time high. Today’s Daft.ie report states that the average monthly rent nationwide during the first quarter of 2018 was €1,261, with average […]

Social Democrats Co-Leader Catherine Murphy has reiterated both her party’s, and the NUJ’s, calls for the establishment of a Commission on the Future of Media in Ireland on what is World Press Freedom Day 2018. Deputy Murphy said the time had never been more apt for Ireland to address the many significant problems it faces […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has said there is an urgent need for an agreed definition of what constitutes homelessness so that the current confusion and spin over the March homelessness figures is brought to an end. Deputy Murphy said: “It is a total insult to families living in different types of temporary and […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has accused the Minister for Health Simon Harris of showing extremely poor judgment in allowing serving HSE Director General Tony O’Brien to take up a remunerated position on the board of a US medical supplies company. Deputy Shortall said: “It is entirely inappropriate that the head of the HSE […]

WITH NEW EU-WIDE data protection laws on the way, there has been a lot of discussion about the digital age of consent, but not a lot of clarity on what it actually is. Despite what you may have heard, it’s not about putting age restrictions on access to the internet, or limiting young people’s expression […]

The Social Democrats are seeking cross party support for legal changes to ban the commercial monetisation of the digital data of children and teens under the age of 18. The party is today tabling amendments to the government’s Data Protection Bill 2018 to prohibit the use of children’s data for marketing purposes. The party’s co-leader […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said immediate steps must be taken to make sure that people affected by the CervicalCheck controversy receive prompt and appropriate treatment and supports, and to guarantee that there is full accountability for mishandling of diagnosis cases. Deputy Shortall said: “I welcome the proposed setting up of an independent […]