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Meet Róisín

Róisín Shortall is a co-founder of the Social Democrats and a TD for Dublin North-West.

She has been re-elected at every general election since first winning a Dáil seat in 1992, giving her over 30 years’ experience in national politics.

A former primary school teacher with a degree in Economics and Politics, Róisín has throughout her career been particularly vocal on social justice issues, in all its forms, and good governance.

She is a former Minister of State at the Department of Health and chaired the All-Party Committee on the Future of Healthcare which produced the Sláintecare reform plan for the Irish health service.

Róisín is passionate about accountability and fair distribution of resources.

Healthcare is a human right – not a commodity. Healthcare should be equally accessible and free at the point of access, not dependant on your ability to pay.

Róisín’s Priorities

  • Ensure the full implementation of Sláintecare.
  • Establish universal access to quality public services based on fair taxation.
  • End child poverty.
  • Drive down the cost of housing.
  • Reverse the creeping privatisation of health and social care services.
  • Establish a statutory right to homecare.
  • Increase capacity of primary care including all essential therapies.
  • Introduce the Living Wage.

Latest News

Budget 2024 failure is a missed opportunity

The Government’s budget is a missed opportunity to make huge and lasting improvements in the lives of those who need it most, according to Social Democrats Finance Spokesperson Róisín Shortall. “The housing disaster is the biggest challenge we face as a country. Nothing in this budget indicates that there will be any change in Government […]

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Unlocking the Future: Social Democrats launch Alternative Budget 2024

Housing, children and climate take centre stage Read the full Alternative Budget here Housing, children and climate action are the main focus of the Social Democrats’ Alternative Budget, ‘Unlocking the Future’, which is published today. The party’s key priorities for 2024 include: Deliver 10,000 affordable homes next year – a near doubling of the Government’s […]

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Shortall demands emergency meeting of Oireachtas Health Committee to discuss Temple Street scandal

It is extraordinary that the Health Minister has opted to remain overseas while this crisis is escalating Social Democrats Health Spokesperson Róisín Shortall has written to the Health Committee requesting that representatives of Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) and the HSE attend an emergency meeting of the Committee tomorrow. Deputy Shortall said: “Health Minister Stephen Donnelly […]

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