News

Government has failed to deliver on commitment in Energy Poverty Action Plan Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore will introduce a Bill tomorrow (Tuesday, February 21) proposing new legislation to protect financially vulnerable customers from energy disconnections. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on Energy, said: “The Government’s new Energy Poverty Action Plan, published last […]

Whitmore hosts special briefing on how current drugs reimbursement scheme is failing women instead of helping them Women suffering from hyperemesis during pregnancy must not be abandoned by our health service, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore hosted a special briefing in Leinster House this week to highlight how the current reimbursement […]

Government may have grossly overstated home completion numbers for 2022 Figures published today suggest that the Government may be significantly overstating the number of homes completed in 2022, according to Social Democrats Housing spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “There is a huge discrepancy between the 23,751 figure reported by Construction Information Services (CIS) and the almost 30,000 […]

Consumers and businesses continue to struggle while energy companies profiteer from war A targeted energy price cap must be introduced to reduce spiralling energy costs and provide security to businesses and households, according to Social Democrats Energy spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore was commenting as the Social Democrats prepare to bring a Private Members’ Motion […]

Karl Stanley to be appointed substitute councillor for next six months Social Democrats councillor Catherine Stocker is to become the first public representative to assign a temporary substitute to her seat while she takes maternity leave under new legislation aimed at elected members of local authorities. Cllr Stocker, who represents the North Central Area on […]

Average asking rents are now out of reach of most workers, particularly in our cities Social Democrats Housing spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan has repeated his call for increased delivery of cost rental and affordable purchase homes following publication of the latest Daft.ie report. “The most up to date figures on the cost of renting a home […]

Yet the State has made no real effort to pursue religious orders The Government is refusing to expand its mother and baby homes redress scheme for purely financial reasons while making no real effort to pursue religious orders for a contribution, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns, who is the party’s spokesperson […]

Highly vulnerable women are attending emergency departments to beg for Cariban prescriptions from consultants Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has called on the Government to make Cariban – a medication used for treating hyperemesis during pregnancy – more accessible. “Cariban is used to help reduce symptoms of hyperemesis in pregnancy, which include severe vomiting, fatigue […]

Committee could also create strategies to combat the rise of far-right groups Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has called for the establishment of an emergency cross-party Oireachtas committee on refugee integration in response to recent protests targeting asylum seekers. “There is a complete information vacuum at the moment, which is being filled by misinformation peddled […]

Vacancy rate of 4.3% represents tens of thousands of homes lying empty while 11,632 people are living in emergency homeless accommodation  The Vacant Dwelling Indicators released today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) highlight the urgent need for a strong and effective Vacant Homes Tax, according to Social Democrats Housing spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan. “The fact […]

Under the Minister’s redress scheme, 40 percent of survivors will not be eligible for compensation, while two-thirds will be denied healthcare  The Government has one last chance to do the right thing when its deeply flawed Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill reaches its concluding stages in the Dáil this week, according to Social […]

Six units do incredible work in treating and helping vulnerable victims of sexual assault  More resources are needed to help the HSE and gardaí understand and respond to rising attendance rates at Sexual Assault Treatment Units around the country, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns. “Professor Maeve Eogan, the National Clinical Lead for the […]

Government can only offer vague timelines on when low-cost loan scheme for households will be available  Ongoing delays in the rollout of a low interest loan scheme for retrofitting will make Ireland’s carbon reduction targets even more difficult to achieve, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on […]

Lifting the ban at the end of March will create a tsunami of evictions, with homelessness services already completely overstretched  The latest homelessness figures highlight the need for an extension of the ban on evictions and a ramping up of tenant in situ purchases, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan. Deputy O’Callaghan, who is […]