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The Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has called on the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to stop treating childcare workers as ‘second class educators’ and provide proper supports so that they can undertake mandatory in-service child protection training. Deputy Shortall made her call after questioning Minister Zappone in the Dáil today about the […]

The government’s Bill for employees with insecure contracts does not go far enough to protect precarious workers and will allow their exploitation to continue, the Social Democrats co-leader Roisin Shortall TD said today. Deputy Shortall said the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017 contained significant loopholes that could be exploited by employers to undermine job security […]

The Social Democrats today bring before the Dáil a Bill that gives working parents the opportunity to spend more time caring for their children. The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill allows parents to take a total of six months (26 weeks) unpaid leave from their jobs without their employment rights being affected. This is an increase […]

The Social Democrats have called for a ‘New Deal for young workers’ to end the dumbing down of pay and conditions and remove barriers to good quality employment. The call comes as the party holds its second National Conference in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin. Commenting ahead of the leaders’ address tonight, the party’s co-leader Róisín […]

The Social Democrats’ second National Conference – to be held in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin this weekend – marks a year of significant growth and progress for the party. The event will see members and supporters from around the country gather on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th January to discuss the party’s policies and priorities […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today introduces to the Dáil a Bill to give renters a minimum of 90 days’ notice to quit a property and to give incoming tenants access to the amount of rent paid by their predecessors. The party welcomes the backing of opposition parties Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, Labour and […]

The Social Democrats have voiced strong support for today’s call by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission for a radical overhaul of the legislation governing its operations to make the system of garda complaints and oversight fairer, more transparent and more efficient. Party co-leader Róisín Shortall TD called on the Minister for Justice to move swiftly […]

The Social Democrats today publish a Bill to help tackle hasty evictions, unfair rent hikes and growing homelessness by strengthening tenants’ rights. The party is seeking cross-party support for its Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2018 which extends the minimum notice period for terminations of tenancies and strengthens tenants’ rights in relation to how rent caps are […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has described today’s record high levels of hospital overcrowding as disgraceful, predictable and avoidable. Deputy Shortall was commenting on figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation which show that the number of people on trolleys and wards awaiting hospital beds has risen to a new high of 677. […]