News

This refusal to be honest with farmers is putting them in a very vulnerable position Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue is in denial about the contribution agriculture will have to make to our carbon budgets, according to Social Democrats Climate Spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. “Ranges for sectoral emissions targets were published last November with the Climate Action […]

The government must stop its dithering and delay and publish the sectoral emissions ceilings The failure of the government to publish sectoral emissions ceilings is deeply concerning, according to Social Democrats Climate Spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. “The unprecedented heatwave and raging wildfires across Europe this week have underscored the catastrophic impact of climate change – and […]

Child poverty has lifelong consequences – limiting children’s education, their aspirations, their wellbeing and their potential. A special Oireachtas Committee to tackle worsening child poverty rates must be established, according to Social Democrats Children’s Spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore made her remarks as the Children’s Rights Alliance launched its Child Poverty Monitor – a new […]

It is not acceptable that abortion care is still based on a postcode lottery A new report which finds Ireland’s abortion law is traumatising women underscores the need for urgent reform, according to Social Democrats Social Justice Spokesperson Holly Cairns. “A new study from Trinity College, the Unplanned Pregnancy and Abortion Care (UnPAC) study, found […]

We cannot allow a situation to develop in which developmental assessments for babies are based on a postcode lottery The HSE must explain why developmental assessments for babies and children, from three months to 48 months, have been withdrawn in Dublin West, according to Social Democrats Health Spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “It has come to my […]

Parliamentary Assistant (full-time) Job Details: Deputy Gary Gannon is seeking to recruit a full-time Parliamentary Assistant (PA) to support him in his work in Dublin Central. The Parliamentary Assistant will work closely with the Secretarial Assistant as well as other members of the party, to provide an exemplary service to Gary’s constituents and to support […]

We need to make primary and secondary school education genuinely free An increase in the number of families struggling to pay back-to-school costs underscores the depths of the cost-of-living crisis, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon was responding to a new study from the Irish League of Credit Unions which found […]

A Social Democrats’ motion – to introduce a €20 ‘Cost of Disability’ payment and increase Disability Allowance by at least €15 – will be debated in the Dáil tomorrow  The government must commit to introducing a Cost of Disability payment in the forthcoming budget, according to Social Democrats Disability Spokesperson Holly Cairns. “The cost of […]

The government’s approach is to watch people fall into further debt and poverty before it is willing to act  The Summer Economic Statement shows the government can act and introduce an emergency budget now, according to Social Democrats Finance Spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “The summer economic statement has again confirmed that the government has the capacity […]

This Wednesday, 6th July, 2022, the Social Democrats are using their limited ‘Private Members’ Dáil time to put forward a motion for urgent action on disability. The sheer scale of inequality and injustice faced by disabled people, and families of children with special needs and disabilities, is disgraceful.  A lack of school places, under-staffed HSE teams, […]

The cost-of-living crisis is now an emergency, but the government is callously refusing to act. It is essential that the government introduces an emergency budget given inflation is now running at nearly 10pc, according to Social Democrats Finance Spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “Inflation is now running at nearly 10pc. Price increases are becoming embedded across the […]

The Government must put in place the necessary funding to progress a vital local disability service for Swords and North County Dublin, according to Social Democrats Fingal Councillor Paul Mulville.  “The Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) has plans to develop a purpose built day building providing services for adults and children with disabilities, on North Street, […]

The Back To School allowance was higher in 2007 than it is now The government must act to provide relief for parents who spend up to €1,500 on back-to-school costs for each child, according to Social Democrats Children’s Spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. “Last year, a survey from the Irish League of Credit Unions revealed that 24% […]

It is now  just days before schools close for the summer – and 106 children are still without a class for next year Minister for Special Education Josepha Madigan must clarify if she misrepresented the position of four schools she claimed had not engaged with the Department about special education classes, according to Social Democrats […]