News

Increased funding for sector flies in the face of public opinion  The Government has failed to listen to animal welfare organisations by yet again increasing funding for the greyhound racing industry in this week’s budget, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, […]

One-off €500 disability payment smacks of token gesture Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns has criticised the Government for failing to address the cost of having a disability in Budget 2023. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s Disability spokesperson, said: “As recently as July, the Government passed my motion calling for an increase in the Disability […]

Government is clearly not serious about ending child poverty  The Qualified Child Increase of €2 announced in yesterday’s budget has been described as shamefully inadequate by Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on Social Protection, said: “This miserly increase is an insult to vulnerable families and proves that this […]

Grandiose announcements and spin from the Government simply won’t cut it Extra funding in the budget for retrofitting and energy schemes will be meaningless if the Government continues to miss its own completion targets, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on Climate and Biodiversity, said: “There is […]

Budget decision to exclude secondary schools is baffling The families of second level students have been abandoned by the Government in today’s budget, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon TD. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on Education, said: “It is frankly baffling to see the exclusion of second level students from the […]

New measure will encourage dereliction The new Vacant Homes Tax has been set far too low, according to the Social Democrats Housing spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Commenting on Budget 2023, Deputy O’Callaghan said: “The new Vacant Homes Tax is too weak to work. This tax must be set at a much higher rate to bring vacant […]

Rent Pressure Zones must be extended nationwide The proposed tax credit for renters in today’s budget will be gobbled up by landlords through rent increases, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s spokesperson on Housing, said: “Without properly enforced nationwide rent controls, the tax credit for renters will simply […]

Government needs to urgently address underlying causes of crisis The Government has missed key targets in the delivery of social, affordable and cost rental homes due to its failure to address the underlying causes of the housing crisis, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s spokesperson on Housing, said: […]

Social Democrats propose weekly Cost of Disability payment People with disabilities could receive up to €50 a week extra under pre-budget proposals put forward by the Social Democrats. Holly Cairns TD, the party’s spokesperson on Disability, said: “Despite improvements in funding in recent years, the experience of many disabled people in Ireland continues to be […]

School-related costs putting household budgets under severe pressure Radical reform is required in next week’s budget to make education in Ireland genuinely free, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on Education, said: “Parents throughout the country know that the concept of free education is nothing more than […]

Social Democrats propose ambitious solar panel programme for 100,000 homes The Government needs to urgently ramp-up investment in solar energy in next week’s budget, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore, the party’s spokesperson on Climate and Biodiversity. Speaking after the launch of the Social Democrats’ alternative budget, Deputy Whitmore said: “Budget 2023 must have […]

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien is failing to meet any of the targets on delivering affordable homes while house prices and rents are at record highs A punitive 10% tax on vacancy and dereliction should be introduced and a levy imposed on investment funds, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan was commenting […]

Immediate threat to living standards and long-term challenges must be met Protecting the most vulnerable from the cost-of-living crisis is the key priority in the Social Democrats’ alternative budget, published today. The party’s alternative budget document, ‘Responding to the Crisis: A Social Democratic Approach’, aims to strike a balance between dealing with the immediate threat […]

Immediate clarity needed from Minister on several issues There are significant ambiguities in the Government’s pension proposal that need to be addressed, according to Social Democrats Social Protection spokesperson Gary Gannon. “I welcome the introduction of flexibility in the pension system – with workers being given the option of retiring at 66 or up to […]