News

Commenting on recent events in Catalonia, Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD today condemned police violence and urged all sides to reach a political solution to the constitutional crisis. Deputy Shortall said: “The weekend’s scenes of police violence and the forced closure of polling stations in Catalonia were shocking to witness. It is vital that […]

The government’s legislative programme for the new Dáil term totally lacks any sign of ambition when it comes to tackling corruption and white-collar crime, the Social Democrats said today. The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said: “It is both pathetic and dispiriting that the government has set the bar so low in terms of tackling […]

As Fine Gael gather for their think-in it seems that they have already forgotten what they were told by the electorate last year – “people want decent services not tax cuts,” claimed Roisin Shortall TD, co-leader of the Social Democrats. “The Taoiseach and his Cabinet colleagues are hung up on the notion of tax cuts […]

Speaking this morning, Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD called for “the principle of recovery to be put at the centre of drug treatment services.” Addressing the inaugural International Recovery Conference in Trinity College Dublin, Deputy Shortall outlined the value of moving beyond harm reduction and towards an approach that supports long term recovery from […]

The latest revelations of falsified Garda breath test figures are indicative of a force in crisis with deep and pervasive cultural problems that cannot be addressed without management changes, Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said today. Deputy Shortall said: “The emergence today of an additional half a million falsified Garda breath tests shows that […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD has said that the disgracefully high number of patients on hospital trolleys can only be tackled once and for all with the wholesale overhaul of our health system as set out in the Sláintecare reform plan. Deputy Shortall said: “The summer is barely over and already we have record […]

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall TD is calling for an open public debate on the National ID card issue, while voicing concerns that a mandatory identity system is being introduced by the back door. Deputy Shortall said: “The Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty said today that using a Public Services Card is now mandatory […]

According to Social Democrats co-leader, Róisín Shortall TD, “today’s shocking hospital waiting lists of 687,000 people are a new record and represent a huge failing on the part of Government.  Providing a decent health service where people can get timely treatment, on the basis of need, is a basic requirement of any civilised country.  Yet […]

People seeking free legal advice are currently facing waiting times of up to 76 weeks for appointments at Legal Aid Board law centres, according to the latest figures released to the Social Democrats. The figures show that combined waiting times for first and second consultations at Legal Aid Board law centres on 1st July 2017 were […]

The Social Democrats have called on the Garda Síochána to publish full details of any contracts with private companies operating mobile speed detection cameras in the state. Party co-leader Róisín Shortall TD made the call today as details of a €1.2 million per month contract with the company GoSafe were published following a Freedom of […]

The high costs of sending children to school need to be lifted so that parents do not have to use money earmarked for household bills, the Social Democrats said today. Party co-leader Róisín Shortall TD was commenting on a survey published today which found that 72 per cent of parents feel the back to school […]

The Government’s climate change plan requires massive capital spending which is not available because it refuses to challenge EU spending rules, according to Róisín Shortall TD. The co-leader of the Social Democrats said the National Mitigation Plan published today was an exercise in wishful thinking, as the government is not in a position to invest […]

A critical HSE audit into financial practices at the National Maternity Hospital highlights everything that is wrong with our public-private healthcare model, according to Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall. Deputy Shortall was commenting on a HSE audit which found that the publicly-funded National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street subsidised the cash flow of a semi-private […]

Today’s Summer Economic Statement is another squandered opportunity by the government to deal with the enormous pressures facing our economy and society, the Social Democrats said today. The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said the setting up of a Rainy Day Fund at a time the housing, health and childcare needs of so many people […]