The Labour Party’s Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2017 will be debated at Committee Stage in the Seanad this evening, after passing second stage in May. The Bill seeks to drive down the existing gender pay gap in Ireland of around 14% by requiring employers of 50 or more staff to regularly publish wage transparency…

Labour Party spokesperson on Equality, Councillor Deirdre Kingston, has expressed concern at the leniency of the sentencing of Tom Humphries and has criticised some of the coverage of the Tom Humphries sentencing as being insensitive to the victims of sexual crime.  Councillor Kingston said: “The leniency of Tom Humphries’ sentence and the subsequent coverage show we have…

I want to begin by thanking you for the invitation to be here today, and by saying how honoured I was to have been asked. I see a lot of proud and happy faces in this audience and that is as it should be. I suspect I might also see a few relieved faces too!…

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Catalonia Crisis must be Resolved through Dialogue Dáil Éireann, Statements on Catalonia Tuesday 24th October 2017 I want to start by quoting a statement from the Catalonian President with which I profoundly agree.  Carles Puigdemont told his parliament on the 10th October that:-  “The current moment is serious enough for everyone to…

Labour Party Leader and spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Brendan Howlin TD, has welcomed news that Ibrahim Halawa has finally returned home to Ireland. Deputy Howlin said: “I am delighted to hear that Ibrahim Halawa has returned home safely to Ireland after spending four years in an Egyptian prison. “I am sure today will be an…

Labour Finance spokesperson Joan Burton TD has said that there must now be full transparency from those banks implicated in the tracker mortgage scandal and an urgency brought to efforts to compensate those affected. Deputy Burton also said that if the Central Bank believes a crime has been committed then there must be a comprehensive…

Labour Party Equality spokesperson, Councillor Deirdre Kingston has rubbished claims by Fianna Fail Senator Terry Leyden that rugby is bad for women’s health. Councillor Kingston has also supported the #Legacy campaign by players which is calling into question the legacy the IRFU want to leave women’s rugby with, just after hosting the World Cup. Cllr Kingston…

Following revelations over the weekend that Fine Gael plan to charge €5 a visit for children between 6 and 12 to visit their GP, Labour spokesperson on Health Alan Kelly TD has said that this move would defeat the purpose of the scheme and undermine the cross party Sláintecare proposals. Deputy Kelly said: “Two years…