Speaking before it is taken at second stage in the Seanad today, Labour Seanad Group Leader and Spokesperson for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration Senator Ivana Bacik has outlined why her Party cannot support the rushing through of the Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill…

Increased capital investment welcome Budget 2021 fails to address pay and conditions in the Defence Forces which is exacerbating the recruitment and retention crisis in the forces according to Labour Defence Spokesperson, Senator Mark Wall. Senator Wall said: “While the €32 million increase on Defence spending and the additional €18 million in capital funding are…

Missed Opportunity to upskill and retrain workers during the pandemic     Speaking in response to the government’s Budget 2021 announcement, Labour Party spokesperson on Employment Affairs Marie Sherlock said:    “Billions have been thrown at the economy in a budgetary exercise designed to dazzle, but workers looking for meaningful support will be sorely disappointed.     …

Nothing in this budget deals with precarious work Budget 2021 does not deal with any of the long-term structural issues in the higher education sector according to Labour Spokesperson on Further and Higher Education, Senator Annie Hoey. Senator Hoey said:  “While the investment in Further and Higher Education within Budget 2021 is welcome this budget…

Budget 2021 is a missed opportunity to transform Education in Ireland according to Labour Education Spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. Speaking after the announcement of Budget 2021, Deputy Ó Ríordáin said: “While I welcome the reduction in the pupil teacher ratio by one point to 25 pupils per teacher at primary level. Given the scale of…

no increase in funding for childcare sector. Not enough done for Disability and early years to deliver transformational change. Labour Seanad Group Leader and Spokesperson for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration Senator Ivana Bacik has welcomed aspects of Budget 2021 but has said that it was not “equality-proofed” to ensure that it met the needs…

Speech by Ged Nash TD, Labour Finance spokesperson on Budget 2021. Check against delivery We have known deadly disease on our island before. In the 1800’s the Great Hunger saw millions emigrate or die, from famine but also diptheria, cholera, fever and smallpox. In the last century, tuberculosis – TB – consumption, destroyed thousands of…

No hope for housing crisis unless State ramps up construction beyond todays weak commitments Help to Buy will only inflate housing prices and shared equity line developers pockets Labour called for over €1 billion extra to be invested to deliver an extra 10,000 homes. Nothing for renters in Budget as evictions and rent increases return….