News

The Social Democrats will this week take part in a series of separate policy discussions with both Sinn Fein and the Green Party aimed at trying to agree common approaches on a  number of key issues. The party’s co-leaders Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall said that the party’s priority is to ensure that a social […]

The new Social Democrats Parliamentary Party met for the first time this morning in Dublin in advance of the Dáil resuming next week. The 6 newly elected deputies held a press conference at the gates of Leinster House where party co-leaders Róisín Shortall and Catherine Murphy welcomed the party’s 4 first time TDs to the […]

The Social Democrats today launched a wide-ranging policy document focusing on some of the issues impacting on older people’s overall quality of life. The party says that older people have very specific concerns such as the availability of homecare packages, the fear around the pension controversy and other issues including housing and healthcare.  Speaking outside […]

The Social Democrats have today launched their election manifesto entitled ‘Invest in Better’. The document, which is fully costed and runs to 123 pages, sets out a roadmap for what it calls a ‘uniquely Irish version of the Nordic model’ and covers topics from health and housing to LGTBTQI+ rights. The manifesto commits to a […]

Making Mental Health a Priority – SocDems launch Mental Health Policy This morning, Tuesday 28th January, at the ILAS institute at NUIG in Galway, the Social Democrats launch their Mental Health policy – ‘Making Mental Health a Priority’, with Róisín Shortall, co leader, Niall Ó Tuathail from Galway West and Peter Reid from Galway East. Róisín Shortall, […]

Making History: women stepping up to change Ireland The Social Democrats have made history by having the largest ever percentage of female candidates declared for a General Election in Ireland. As a significant political party in the Irish system, they are unique in fielding a slate in GE2020 which features a gender split of 55% female and […]

The Social Democrats today launched their policy on children, families, and work/life balance – ‘A New Deal for Parents; Getting it right for children, for families’.  Party spokesperson on Children, Wicklow Cllr and GE candidate Jennifer Whitmore – a working mother of four – and Dublin West Candidate Aengus Ó Maoláin Social Democrats GE candidate […]

The Social Democrats today reiterated their strong support for the campaign to stop the increase in the state pension age to 67 years from next year and subsequently to 68. Speaking in Finglas in her constituency of Dublin North West, co-leader Róisín Shortall said that the Government’s plan to increase the pension age would mean […]

‘A health service when you need it, as you need it’.  The Social Democrats will today launch their Health policy document; ‘A health service when you need it, as you need it’. Party Co-Leader Roísín Shortall said the current Irish health service is not set up to best meet the needs of people requiring healthcare. […]

The Social Democrats are today focussing on crime, with co-leader Róisín Shortall, in response to the shocking crimes in Drogheda and Dublin this week, highlighting the failures of investment in community policing and in communities, particularly disadvantaged communities, that have contributed to a growth in awful gangland activity. Shortall said: “The immediate, very serious gangland […]

Social Democrats Co-Leader Róisín Shortall has said she is angry but not surprised at the latest shootings in Dublin this lunchtime. She said that the pattern of tit-for-tat retaliation attacks is now almost an established pattern and one that is completely unacceptable in a civilised society. It is quite clear that we are dealing with […]

The Social Democrats have called for a cross-party delegation to come together with a singular focus on addressing the homelessness emergency across the country. The party’s Co-Leaders said that the situation was growing increasingly out of control and the tragic events of the last two days mean it is simply inhumane to continue along with […]

Social Democrats Co-Leader Róisín Shortall has reacted angrily to news today that Government have signed-off on a 1% across the board cut to key disability groups and services. She said the impacted organisations had been informed about the cut to their already overstretched budgets at the same time the government were clapping themselves on the […]

The co-leaders of the Social Democrats welcomed the calling of the General Election saying this election is a chance for people to change the direction Ireland is going in and called on people who hope for better to vote for better. Róisín Shortall TD said “It’s long past the time that this Government put their […]