Labour Party by-election candidate for Fingal, Councillor Duncan Smith, has called for meaningful engagement in the SK Biotek dispute. Councillor Smith said: “This morning I visited the SK Biotek picket line on Watery Lane in Swords to meet these Biotek workers who are currently engaging in industrial action. I listened to their concerns and reasons…

Labour Housing spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan TD has called on the Minister to admit that the removal of planning functions from Councils to An Bord Pleanála for strategic housing developments of 100 units or more has failed to deliver, and instead of extending these rules that they should now be scrapped. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “The rules…

Reacting to the likely general election in the UK, the leader of the Labour Party, Brendan Howlin TD, said that Leo Varadkar will feel that this gives him the opportunity to seek a general election in Ireland too. If he does, he will want to avoid scrutiny of his government’s failures. Brendan said: “Leo Varadkar…

Labour Party TD for Limerick City, Jan O’Sullivan has said only providing free contraception to young women aged 17-24 is the wrong approach. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “I welcome that a report has finally been produced outlining pathways to providing free contraception in Ireland. However, it is not acceptable that only a certain cohort – women…

Labour Cllr for Dún Laoghaire, Juliet O’Connell has said the recent failure of the Bleeper bike scheme in the town and county shows the urgent need for a public bike scheme as Labour pioneered in Dublin City. A Department of Transport costing shows a €1m investment would enable the rollout of a public bike scheme…

With a planned 72-hour strike action by staff operating Go Safe speed camera vans starting tomorrow morning, Labour Party leader, Brendan Howlin TD has called on the Minister for Justice to clarify if Garda resources will be diverted from communities for road policing this weekend, and outline why the Minister won’t call on the company…

Speaking in relation to the pending decision by European leaders to extend the UK’s membership of the EU, the leader of the Labour Party, Brendan Howlin TD, called on President Macron of France to reconsider his opposition to an extension of three months or longer. Deputy Howlin said: “Press reports indicate that President Macron of…

Labour Party Senator Ivana Bacik has called for stronger Government action to address human trafficking. It comes as investigations continue into the discovery of the bodies of 39 people in the back of a lorry in Essex this week. Senator Bacik commented: “On behalf of the Labour Party, I wish to express my deep sympathies to…