Labour Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has criticised the decision by Fine Gael MEPs to vote against a Socialists and Democrats resolution in the European Parliament to ramp up search and rescue efforts for migrants in the Mediterranean, saying it shows a lack of solidarity and urgency on the crisis. Senator Ó Ríordáin commented: “In a…

Reacting to the announcement that the European Commission has given approval for Ireland to ban microbeads in personal care and cleaning products, Labour TD Seán Sherlock said: “I welcome news from Europe that Ireland has been given the green light to ban the use of plastic microbeads from personal care and cleaning products, among other…

Labour TD Seán Sherlock has welcomed the overwhelming majority given to the party’s motion to keep Ireland’s broadband network in public ownership. The motion, which was debated during Private Members’ time last night, has been passed by 86 votes to 50 in the Dáil this afternoon. Deputy Sherlock said: “Today’s result has given us a…

I am from the heart of rural Ireland, Ballynacargy, and I am acutely aware of the vital importance of the delivery of broadband to many hundreds of people who reside in areas like Rathowen, Legan, Ballymore, Drumraney, Carrickboy, Abbeyshrule, Milltown and so many other rural areas. Many in those areas could set up telecottage-type industries…

A well-regulated market economy requires a strong regulator and genuine competition among multiple enterprises. But when it comes to network infrastructure, whether an electricity grid or, as in this case, a network of fibre optic cables, it is often not possible to have multiple competing firms. It is simply prohibitively expensive and patently inefficient to…

Ceann Comhairle, I move the motion. I am sharing time with my colleague Brendan Howlin. The Labour Party believes that if the Government is to spend over €2.9 billion of public money on a broadband network, over 25 years that such a network should be owned by the State.   You’d have to look long…

Labour spokesperson on Community Affairs, Andrew Montague has welcomed the recognition given to Strive Ballymun where they will receive the Public Protection award from the Confederation of European Probation tonight. Mr Montague said: “The Confederation of European Probation will tonight award the Public Protection award to Strive Ballymun, a multi-agency response to crime that I…

Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin TD, has expressed serious concern about the major job losses announced in the South-West in the past 48 hours at Novartis and Molex. Deputy Howlin, who raised the issue with the Taoiseach in the Dáil today, commented: “In less than 48 hours we’ve had two significant job loss announcements in…