News

Increase in road toll rates cannot be justified in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis Increased road toll charges due to come into effect next month will heap further pressure on motorists and lead to more price rises for consumers, according to Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy. Deputy Murphy, who is the party’s spokesperson on […]

The government excels at climate rhetoric, but fails dismally at climate action Confirmation that our climate action targets will not be met should not come as a surprise, according to Social Democrats Climate Spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. “According to the EPA, we have no hope of meeting our 2030 climate action targets. Instead of a reduction […]

Fingal Social Democrats councillor Paul Mulville has called for the urgent publication of the Government’s long-delayed coastal strategy report. Cllr Mulville said: “Social Democrats party leader Holly Cairns has questioned Minister Darragh O’Brien about the long-delayed report from the National Coastal Change Management Strategy Steering Group. “The Minister announced in September 2020 that his Department […]

Department of Justice must urgently act on report’s findings Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy has called on the Government to urgently implement the recommendations of an independent study which found that an average of four women in Ireland died every year between 2014 and 2019 as a result of family violence. Deputy Murphy, who is […]

Fingal Social Democrats councillor Paul Mulville has called for urgent action on the provision of affordable homes for the Donabate/Portrane area. Cllr Mulville said: “With home ownership dropping further under this current Government – and as the Social Democrats introduce a Private Members’ Motion demanding a reversal of policies that have contributed to this collapse […]

The monopoly control of the Catholic Church on our primary schools is a relic from another era The Education Minister must review the school divestment programme after the Census revealed a sharp drop in the number of people who call themselves Catholic, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “The Census has revealed that the […]

Eating disorders are serious and complex mental illnesses, yet vital services continue to be under-funded by the Government  Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has called on the Minister for Mental Health and the HSE to explain why no funding has been allocated this year for public specialist eating disorder services. “I was greatly alarmed to […]

Bizarrely, the same law that protects hares also allows for their capture for coursing Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore will introduce a Bill today which, if supported, could result in an effective ban on hare coursing in Ireland. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on climate and biodiversity, said: “Given the scale of the […]

Those affected must receive adequate redundancy packages from Meta and be fully supported in securing alternative employment Social Democrats enterprise spokesperson Catherine Murphy has expressed disappointment at the scale of Irish job losses announced by Meta today. “My immediate thoughts are with the almost 500 employees and their families affected by the latest raft of […]

One-off measures are simply not enough to prevent households from falling into food or energy poverty The findings of a new survey from Barnardos are a damning indictment of the Government’s failure to get to grips with the cost-of-living crisis, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on […]

Key appointment is welcome – but timing of announcement raises questions for the Government The appointment of a person to lead State negotiations with religious bodies in relation to requests for financial contributions to the mother and baby homes redress scheme raises questions for the Government, according to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns. “While today’s […]

Households need immediate assistance to deal with crippling arrears The Government must use the summer months to put targeted supports in place for households caught in an endless cycle of energy poverty, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s energy spokesperson, made her comments after hearing submissions to the […]

Dr Muldoon deserves support, not platitudes, from the Government  The Government must act immediately to address the range of issues identified in the Ombudsman for Children’s 2022 report, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on children, said: “Today’s report, based on over 1,800 complaints received last year, […]

Figures show that almost 60 per cent of family military accommodation is unoccupied  Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has called on the Government to reconsider its policy of not providing military family accommodation to members of the Defence Forces. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on Defence, said: “I was prompted to raise this […]