Labour health spokesperson Duncan Smith said Government must trust the experts and implement changes proposed in Marie O’Shea’s review of Ireland’s abortion law. Highlighting the urgent need to provide greater geographical coverage of abortion care, Deputy Smith said women who seeks abortion services should be able to do so locally. Deputy Smith said: “Labour welcome…

Labour health spokesperson Duncan Smith has described the record numbers of people waiting to be admitted into hospital as calamitous yet entirely predictable. Deputy Smith said: “It is genuinely hard to believe overcrowding is worse now than during the once in a lifetime pandemic. However, here we are, with frontline health services in crisis all…

Speaking in response to the forced closure of the Mater Hospital’s Long Covid Clinic, Senator Marie Sherlock has sharply criticised the HSE’s decision to disadvantage Long Covid sufferers living on the northside of Dublin. Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Sherlock said: “The closure of the Long Covid Clinic at the Mater Hospital will deprive communities…

Labour justice spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has today (Tuesday 6th December) expressed his horror at the shootings in Dublin last night and reiterated his calls for a cast iron date for a Citizens Assembly on Drugs to be held. Deputy Ó Ríordáin said: “This is yet another shocking shooting on the streets of our capital…

Regulator must move to end scourge of gambling ads Labour sports spokesperson Mark Wall said an overhaul of Irish gambling laws is well overdue. Welcoming Minister Browne’s decision to finally bring the gambling regulation bill to cabinet today, Senator Wall said government has dragged its heels on tackling the gambling industry, despite it impacting almost…

Labour health and disability spokesperson Duncan Smith has today (Wednesday, 9th November) demanded real action from the Government to make sure people with long Covid don’t face discrimination, cuts in pay and that specialised long-Covid clinics are set up in communities across the country. Speaking on a Dail motion on long-Covid, Deputy Smith said: “The…

Labour health spokesperson Duncan Smith said today (12th October) demanded that the government must put in place an immediate timeline and guarantee a process for engagement with workers in the community and voluntary sector. The call comes following the government waving through Labour motion calling for pay rises for community and voluntary sector workers Deputy…

• Dáil will debate Labour motion demanding pay rise for Section 39 care workers on Wednesday Labour health spokesperson Duncan Smith said rather than a grant bridging the gap for people, as proposed by the Tánaiste last week in response to questioning by Labour leader Ivana Bacik, Section 39 workers must be put on the…