Sherlock condemns Minister Madigan’s reckless stunt involving Stoneybatter school Dublin-based Senator Marie Sherlock has called on Minister for Education Norma Foley and Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, Josepha Madigan, to issue an apology to St Gabriel’s primary school for the slur cast by Minister Madigan in her reckless comments targeting the school almost…

Welcoming news that government will introduce a vacant home tax, Labour housing spokesperson Rebecca Moynihan said this is a vital tool in increasing housing stock in the short term. Senator Moynihan said: “A vacant home tax is an obvious short term solution to start using vacant and derelict homes to deliver increased housing stock that…

Responding to ESRI’s research warning of impending older person income and housing crisis as more and more people are locked out of home ownership, Labour leader Ivana Bacik said emergency interventions are needed to rebalance the housing market. Demanding that the Minister consider a Rent to Buy scheme and scale up its cost rental ambitions,…

Delivering the opening address this morning at an AHCPS (Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants) seminar on women and leadership post-pandemic, Ivana Bacik TD addressed the topic of gender quotas as a way of improving women’s representation in Irish politics and across public and private sectors. Outlining the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on…

Today, Tuesday, 5th July, Labour Leader Ivana Bacik TD hosted a briefing for TDs and Senators with the Ukraine Civil Society Forum (UCSF). During the briefing, the UCSF, which comprises 65 civil society organisations involved in the emergency response to the war in Ukraine, called for a National Refugee Response Lead to coordinate efforts to house…

Labour transport spokesperson Duncan Smith said the costs and delays associated with Metrolink are inexplicable. Welcoming the lodgement of planning permission in September for the service, Deputy Smith said the constant can kicking points to a reluctance from this government to deal with this vital piece of infrastructure. Deputy Smith said: “This government has been…

Labour leader and environment spokesperson Ivana Bacik said government must be more ambitious and act to harness Ireland’s wind and renewable energy potential and start prioritising solutions to the climate emergency. Responding to Wind Energy Ireland’s Bridging the Gap report, Deputy Bacik said the State needs to prioritise and support every measure possible to facilitate…

Labour spokesperson on health and disability, Duncan Smith has called on the Taoiseach, Michael Martin to personally intervene in an effort to settle an escalating dispute between unions and community sector employers by giving thousands of community and care workers a pay rise. The call comes following the commencement of a two-day stoppage in Irish…