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Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today introduces to the Dáil a Bill to give renters a minimum of 90 days’ notice to quit a property and to give incoming tenants access to the amount of rent paid by their predecessors. The party welcomes the backing of opposition parties Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, Labour and […]

The Social Democrats have voiced strong support for today’s call by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission for a radical overhaul of the legislation governing its operations to make the system of garda complaints and oversight fairer, more transparent and more efficient. Party co-leader Róisín Shortall TD called on the Minister for Justice to move swiftly […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has described today’s record high levels of hospital overcrowding as disgraceful, predictable and avoidable. Deputy Shortall was commenting on figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation which show that the number of people on trolleys and wards awaiting hospital beds has risen to a new high of 677. […]

The Social Democrats have said today’s agreement between the UK and the EU on the first phase of Brexit negotiations is a positive start to the process of negotiations which must lead to a fair deal for the entire island of Ireland. The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said: “Today’s agreement allows us to progress […]

Róisín Shortall, the co-leader of the Social Democrats, has called for Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan, to explain his role in the Maurice McCabe email affair. Speaking today after Leaders’ Questions, Deputy Shortall said; “There is an understandable focus on the Tánaiste’s role in all this. However, it is becoming clearer and clearer that the […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has strongly questioned the government’s commitment to fully implement Sláintecare, the fully costed ten-year health reform plan put forward by a cross-party Oireachtas committee. Speaking following a Dáil debate on the Sláintecare plan today, Deputy Shortall said she and other members of the Oireachtas committee which produced the Sláintecare […]

In the wake of the Paradise Papers revelations about global tax avoidance, Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD criticised the government’s role in facilitating massive tax breaks for Apple. Speaking during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil today, Deputy Shortall said: “The theme running though the Paradise Papers is the relentless quest of the wealthy and […]

Róisín Shortall TD, the co-leader of the Social Democrats has called on the government to prioritise the introduction of anti-HIV drugs as new figures show the rates of HIV infection continue to rise at alarming levels. Deputy Shortall said: “According to figures from the HSE, there were 508 new cases of HIV in Ireland last […]

Fianna Fáil has been accused of rank hypocrisy on the issue of pension inequality by Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD over their refusal to back a vote that would have curtailed bumper pensions for Ministers and senior civil servants in order to restore pensions to people who lost out in changes introduced in 2012. […]

The Government has been accused of double standards by Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD over its refusal to reverse the unfair 2012 cuts affecting state pensions for women. Speaking ahead of a Dáil debate tonight, Deputy Shortall said: “The changes to state pension introduced in 2012 have resulted in an estimated 36,000 people, mainly […]

Any group set up to examine the impact of separating private practice from the public hospital system must be fully independent and free from conflicts of interest, Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD cautioned today. Deputy Shortall was speaking as the Cabinet meets in Cork to discuss the Sláintecare blueprint for a reformed public health […]

The Social Democrats have accused the Finance Minister of crying crocodile tears while failing to address punitive rules that mean tens of thousands of women are losing out on pensions payments. The party’s joint leader Róisín Shortall TD said today: “The Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has admitted it is ‘bonkers and unbelievable’ that women […]

There is little or no tax benefit from Budget 2018 for 1.5 million income earners on less than €35,000, the joint leader of the Social Democrats Róisín Shortall TD said today. Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Shortall said: “Yesterday’s budget represented a scatter gun approach to the country’s finances. It lacked any kind of vision […]

Budget 2018 falls very far short of what is needed to implement the Sláintecare health reform plan, Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said today. Speaking immediately after the Budget was announced, Deputy Shortall said: “For the first time in history, the government had in front of it a fully costed plan for health reform […]