Earlier today in the Dáil Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin called on the Tánaiste to provide an update on when the Youth Mental Health Task Force will be set up. Labour Youth welcomes the news that the government will make an announcement next week on the formation of the Task Force. The ISPCC report released…

I welcome the establishment by the Taoiseach today of the North Inner City Task Force. The Task Force will be charged with supporting the regeneration of the North Inner City area of Dublin. Along with my Labour Party colleague Joe Costello I called on the Taoiseach to establish this Task Force as far back as…

The second visit by the Taoiseach and some of his cabinet and junior ministers to the North Inner City at 4pm today to announce the establishment of the promised North Inner City Drugs Task Force is to be welcomed. The Task Force is the Government’s response to the epidemic of drug and gang-related murders in…

Speaking in Dail during Statements on Housing Strategy It is welcome that the Government has published an Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness and that it has taken on board many of the recommendations of the Oireachtas committee. However, while it contains lots of measures, proposals and aspirations, I am concerned at what it does…

Senator Ivana Bacik today welcomed the passage of the Paternity Leave and Benefit Bill 2016 through Committee and remaining stages in the Seanad this afternoon.  Speaking on the final stage of the Bill, Senator Bacik said: “I am delighted to see the Paternity Leave and Benefit Bill become law. It was first announced as an…

Housing is undoubtedly one of the most pressing issues facing Irish society. It is important the Government’s Housing Action Plan succeeds. However it must be closely monitored. It is concerning there is nothing in the plan to stop developers hoarding land when it could be used to build urgently needed homes on. The Minister himself…

Dail Statements on Nice Attacks Bastille Day commemorates a transformative moment in modern democracy. Each year, the French people remember the value of citizenship, and that France is now a country united. But last week the peaceful celebrations of national unity and identity were torn apart in Nice. Eighty four people, including children, died on…

Today’s report from the Low Pay Commission on the proposed 2017 rate for the National Minimum Wage is disappointing. This year, I increased the National Minimum Wage to €9.15 an hour from €8.65 per hour. That means that a single worker who ordinarily works a full week will be almost €800 better off in 2016….