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The Social Democrats have urged Ryanair to meet with the Irish pilots’ union Impact as soon as possible to ensure that progress can be made in relation to the ongoing industrial dispute. The party’s co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said: “Ryanair’s statement today that it intends to recognise trade unions is potentially a very significant one […]

The Social Democrats have warmly welcomed the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment to repeal the Constitutional ban on abortion and legislate for termination without restriction up to 12 weeks. Party co-leader Catherine Murphy TD, who is a member of the committee, said: “The Committee’s recommendations are a very significant and […]

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 […]

Plans by Dublin City Council to sell the last remaining Magdalene Laundry site to an international hotel chain show utter disregard for the suffering of women who deserve to be properly commemorated by the State, Social Democrats Councillor Gary Gannon has said. Councillor Gannon said the site of the former convent on Sean McDermott Street […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has called for a raft of targeted measures to help people who are increasingly forced to share rental accommodation because of rising costs and the lack of affordable homes to buy and rent. Deputy Murphy said: “Today’s report from Savills Ireland shows that a fifth of the population nationwide […]

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 […]

The latest house price and rent increases show the urgent need for the Government to bring in an affordable housing scheme for first time buyers and to cap rents nationwide, Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said today. Deputy Murphy made her comments as two separate reports from the ESRI and daft.ie show that the […]

Catherine Murphy, Co-Leader of the Social Democrats has said that recent parliamentary replies to her and many contacts from the public has confirmed that there are significant capacity issues across our entire public transport system. Deputy Murphy said that while the replies received by her detail investment in the heavy rail network, it is clear […]

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy has said she intends to bring forward legislation which would give the Comptroller and Auditor General scrutiny and audit powers over Irish Water. Deputy Murphy had tabled an amendment to the Water Services Bill which is going through the Dáil this week but last night both Fine Gael and Fianna […]

The statement by Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy T.D. in the Dáil last night that he favours a system of self-certification by landlords with respect to overcrowding, fire safety and housing standards demonstrates that he has learned little from the failures of recent years, Social Democrats spokesperson on housing quality and standards councillor Cian O’Callaghan […]

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 […]

The projected €3 billion Government spend in rent subsidies over the next five years represents an unsustainable approach to solving the housing crisis, Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD said today. Deputy Murphy said: “Official projections show that the Government will spend some €535 million on rent support programmes this year for lower-income families in […]

The revelations in the leaked ‘Paradise Papers’ that AIB’s offshore arm continued to facilitate tax avoidance after it was bailed out by the public highlight the extent of the moral bankruptcy at the heart of the Irish banking system, Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy TD has said. Deputy Murphy said: “It is galling in the […]