Labour spokesperson on water Jan O’Sullivan TD has welcomed the clarification from EU Commissioner Karmenu Vella in a letter provided to the Joint Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services (of which she is a member) today by Minister Simon Coveney. The letter outlines the Commission position on how Ireland would comply with…

Louth Labour Senator Ged Nash says the immediate and unique challenges posed by Brexit for businesses and retailers in the Border Counties need to be taken more seriously by Government. It follows Prime Minister Theresa May’s speech yesterday outlining the UK’s plans for leaving the EU, which look set to include controls on the border…

Labour Spokesperson on Mental Health, Kathleen Lynch has welcomed that over 6,000 young people will attend Cycle Against Suicide’s annual conference over the next two days and has called on the Government to do more to tackle stigmas around youth mental health. “As a community it is essential we take care of the mental health…

Senator Ged Nash has said that the youth rate (sub-minima rate) for National Minimum wage should be scrapped. He was responding to the publication of a report by the Low Pay Commission on the issue. He said, “I commissioned the Low Pay Commission to undertake a study on the application of lower minimum wage rates…

Labour Party Spokesperson on Health, Alan Kelly has said the Government must do more to cut red tape on the Fair Deal scheme. “While I welcome Minister McEntee’s committment that she will open up consultation on a new statutory home care scheme, her announcement on national media this evening that it will take two to…

Speaking in the Dáil on ‘Statements on Northern Ireland’ Tuesday 17th January 2017. Check against delivery. Taoiseach, Last evening, the Assembly in Northern Ireland fell, and elections are now underway. The political crisis over cash for ash has driven a wedge between the two governing parties. Over recent weeks, we have seen a scandal caused…

Labour spokesperson on transport, Brendan Ryan TD, has called on the Minister for Transport, Shane Ross, to ensure that the report on Bus Éireann by Grant Thornton is published, and clarity provided to both the travelling public and the workers on the future of Expressway and Bus Éireann. “It is critical that Minister Ross publicly…

The mystery surrounding the funding of accelerated pay restoration makes a mockery of the estimates process, according to Labour Party leader, Brendan Howlin, T.D. “Responding to my questions in the Dáil today, the Taoiseach confirmed that accelerated pay restoration for public servants will cost in the region of €120m this year, in addition to the…