News

The government must stop dodging this question and tell us if they have a plan Clarity is required on when covid certs will be updated to include booster doses as some EU countries have announced certs with just two doses will no longer be valid after nine months, according to Social Democrats Health Spokesperson Róisín […]

If the government is serious about stopping the rot, it must publish this report immediately  The government is sitting on a scathing report which details chronic underinvestment in the National Parks and Wildlife Service, according to Social Democrats Climate Spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore was commenting after Taoiseach Micheál Martin refused to indicate, in the […]

If the government is serious about stopping the rot, it must publish this report immediately  The government is sitting on a scathing report which details chronic underinvestment in the National Parks and Wildlife Service, according to Social Democrats Climate Spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore was commenting after Taoiseach Micheál Martin refused to indicate, in the […]

The review, of this important piece of legislation, has all of the hallmarks of a rush job It is deeply regrettable that the Health Minster has failed to appoint an independent expert to head a review of abortion legislation in advance of that review commencing, according to Social Democrats Health Spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “In March, […]

The bleak findings of CCAC report should be a wakeup call for the government A damning report from the Climate Change Advisory Council today confirms the government is all talk and no action when it comes to tackling climate change, according to Social Democrats Climate Spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. “There is very little good news in […]

Today we learn that schools will have to choose between Hepa filters and other essential works Clarity is urgently needed on the provision of Hepa filters for schools, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “At the weekend, it was reported that a €30 million scheme was being finalised to provide air filtration units […]

This is further evidence that the party in Limerick, and elsewhere, is continuing to grow Social Democrats co-leaders Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall have welcomed the decision of Limerick City West councillor Elisa O’Donovan to re-join the party. Cllr O’Donovan said: “I am delighted to be ‘coming home’ to the Social Democrats, having been elected […]

Nero fiddling has nothing on the diddling of the Minister while our schools fell victim to an airborne virus Education Minister Norma Foley owes school communities an apology after her Department performed a u-turn on the advice on mask wearing in schools, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “Last week, schools were given […]

This is a decision that makes no sense on either public health or financial grounds The decision of the government to scrap a subsidy scheme for antigen tests is a serious dereliction of duty, according to Social Democrats Health Spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “It beggars belief that Health Minister Stephen Donnelly would announce a U-turn of […]

Solution urgently required as this is seriously impacting people’s ability to access Child Benefit, PPS numbers, passports and GP cards It is now almost impossible to register a birth or a death in many areas of the country, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. “For weeks now, I have been highlighting the fact that […]

The building is on fire. We need to act now to put it out – not stand around and debate the cost of fire extinguishers. The government’s failure to include the early learning and childcare sector in its plans for antigen testing is indicative of its lax approach to antigen testing generally, according to Social […]

If we are serious about suppressing the surge in covid, then we have to act fast The failure to roll out antigen testing in primary schools for nearly another two weeks is deeply concerning while the scheme itself is unnecessarily bureaucratic, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “The Government has promised antigen testing […]

Government must prioritise schools for antigen testing It is indefensible that TDs would have access to free antigen tests before teachers and children, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “I have learned today that antigen tests will be made available for TDs, and Oireachtas staff, from next week. It is incredible that arrangements […]

Deputy Shortall will be bringing forward a Bill proposing a referendum to remove the requirement to make religious oaths from the Constitution The full-throated defence by the State of mandatory religious oaths in the Constitution is both surprising and deeply disappointing, according to Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall. Deputy Shortall was an applicant in proceedings […]