News

Speaking after the announcement that Fine Gael Senator Michael D’Arcy has resigned from the Seanad to lead a lobby group for financial investment companies, Social Democrats TD and co-leader Róisín Shortall commented: “Michael D’Arcy’s appointment appears to be a clear violation of the Standards in Public Office legislation, and the public deserves an immediate answer […]

Reacting to today’s publication of the HSE Winter Plan, Róisín Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats, said that while the level of investment is significant, the recruitment of staff will be critical to get additional services up and running. Deputy Shortall, who is the party’s spokesperson on Health, said: “The investment of €600m and […]

A cross-party leaders’ forum should be established by the Government to build consensus on a strategy for controlling and managing Covid-19 outbreaks, Róisín Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats, told the Dáil today. Deputy Shortall said: “Issues such as cutting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment or extending protections for tenants are political issues – but […]

The Dublin Social Democrats TDs, Róisín Shortall, Cian O’Callaghan and Gary Gannon, and Dublin Social Democrat Councillors, have called on people living in the capital to work together to drive down the virus, after the Government decision to move to Level 3 of the Covid Plan, based on NHPET advice. In a joint statement, they […]

The Social Democrats’ three Dublin TDs have called on the Government to outline what specific financial supports will be provided for businesses and employees when additional restrictions come into force in the capital tonight. In a joint statement, Deputies Róisín Shortall, Gary Gannon and Cian O’Callaghan said: “The rising rates of infection in Dublin are […]

The Government has reneged on four key commitments contained in last year’s Budget to improve access to healthcare, according to Róisín Shortall, co-leader of the Social Democrats. Deputy Shortall, who is the party’s spokesperson on Health, said: “Cost is a major barrier to accessing quality healthcare, whether it’s the cost of medicine or the cost […]

Responding to the Government’s announcement today on the new strategy for Covid-19, Róisín Shortall, TD and co-leader for the Social Democrats, commented: “The Government’s message today was confused and it’s confusing for the public. The new plan was supposed to provide clarity about the five different levels of risk, yet on the first day of […]

The suspension of Covid-19 testing at meat plants completely undermines assurances from the HSE that there is capacity in the system to carry out 100,000 tests a week, according to Róisín Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats. Deputy Shortall said: “Public confidence in the Government’s test and trace programme will have been further eroded […]

Róisín Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats, and Cork South West TD, Holly Cairns, have called on the HSE to ease the restrictions in maternity wards that prevent partners being present for the entirety of the mother’s labour and for the duration of the hospital stay. Deputy Cairns said: “In the past few weeks […]

Dublin North West TD and co-leader of the Social Democrats, Róisín Shortall, said there is considerable disappointment and anger about An Bord Pleanála’s decision to grant permission for the Omni Strategic Housing Development (SHD). Deputy Shortall said: “A 12-storey, 324 apartment development is completely unsuitable for Santry and utterly out of sync with the character […]

In the Dáil today, Róisín Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats, called on the Government to properly play its part in tackling the Covid-19 crisis by seriously addressing three crucial issues – testing and tracing; controls at airports and ports; and transparency about Covid-19 infections data. Deputy Shortall said: “The public continue to forego […]

Róisín Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats, said that today’s announcement of localised restrictions in three counties highlighted the ongoing need to closely monitor all high-risk settings and called for increased scrutiny of working and living conditions associated with meat processing plants. Deputy Shortall said: “While this may be a sign that the testing […]

Róisin Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats and spokesperson on Finance, has expressed concerns at today’s announcement by Bank of Ireland of 1,400 job losses. Deputy Shortall said: “Even though redundancies in the banking sector had been anticipated, the scale of the job losses proposed is staggering and will see staff numbers reduced from […]

Róisín Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats, has expressed surprise that there are no measures contained in the Government’s announcement on Phase 4 to address the fact that 90% of people travelling into Ireland are from non-green list countries. Deputy Shortall said: “This worrying figure will almost certainly rise now that five countries have […]