Labour spokesperson on Community Affairs and General Election candidate in Dublin North West, Cllr Andrew Montague has described Fianna Fáil’s hypocrisy on land hoarding as ‘unbelievable’ following their abstention in 2016 on Labour’s bill to implement the Kenny Report and bring forward the vacant site levy by a year to 2018, and their own recent…

Labour Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has said the Government is once more demonstrating spin over substance when it comes to its commitment on Sláintecare. It follows media reports that today’s Cabinet meeting in Cork will focus on the ten-year plan for the health service, despite no mention of Sláintecare in Tuesday’s Budget. Deputy Kelly…

Labour TD for Westmeath, Willie Penrose TD has welcomed the commitment from Minister Denis Naughton to review the criteria for the connection of rural towns to the natural gas grid having raised the issue in the Dáil. Deputy Penrose wants to know if the criteria will be revised to ensure towns such as Kinnegad, Kilbeggan,…

Labour Party spokesperson on Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Jan O’Sullivan TD has called on the Government, in advance of Brexit, to establish a scheme to support Irish retailers to set up online e-commerce sites as a matter of urgency. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “With the threat of Brexit looming, online shopping is taking more and more…

Labour Leader Brendan Howlin has today written to the Standards in Public Office Commission, seeking advice relating to the budget announced for the Taoiseach’s personal spin operation in Budget 2018. Speaking this morning, Deputy Howlin said: “One of the greatest surprises contained in this Budget was the allocation of €5m to fund the Strategic Communications…

Labour Party spokesperson on Community Arts, Councillor Rebecca Moynihan, has said that Budget 2018 does not go far enough to support the arts community. “Yesterday’s budget is a disappointing one for the arts sector. The 5% increase for the sector is a miserly attempt to lift up the sector despite soothing words from the Taoiseach…

This Coffee Cup Budget had no central message other than self-preservation But it had no choice to do otherwise Because this Government is afraid to make choices. Beholden to Fianna Fail it ensured that every sector had a gesture. And there was a former Fianna Fail minister at the heart of this Budget. It is…

Labour spokesperson on Employment and Social Protection, Senator Ged Nash, has said its deeply unfair that social welfare increases announced in Budget 2018 won’t take effect until March, while tax cuts will be implemented from January. Senator Nash said: “Those who depend on the State for their income will be angered to see that the…