Good evening. Welcome to Dublin Central. Welcome to the new four seat constituency. Welcome also to O’Connell St., the heart of Dublin Central and the heart of our capital city. It was here that so much of our modern Labour history was forged. The balcony of the old Imperial Hotel down the street was where…

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Remarks by Brendan Howlin TD, Leader of the Labour Party to the Public Affairs Ireland Conference Whistleblowing, Protected Disclosures and Public Sector organisations, ‘The Policy and political background to the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 – why was it introduced and what has it achieved’. Good morning, Thank you for the invitation to…

Labour spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Senator Ivana Bacik, has expressed concern over a report by the US Government claiming that Ireland remains both a ‘destination’ and ‘source’ country for victims of human trafficking. The annual Trafficking in Persons 2016 Report by the US State Department noted that a conviction for trafficking had not been recorded…

Speech by Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin on Post-EU Council Statements. Check against delivery Taoiseach, I hope you enjoyed your first EU Council meeting. It appears from reports that you kept yourself busy while in Brussels. Deputy Martin raised with you last week his frustration with the level of debate and engagement on EU issues….

Speaking on the Local Government (Establishment of Town Councils Commission) Bill 2016, Labour TD for Longford – Westmeath, Willie Penrose has said we need to re-establish town councils. “I welcome this debate and I applaud Deputy Cassells for bringing forward the Local Government (Establishment of Town Councils Commission) Bill 2017. It is a start. It is…

Labour spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has welcomed Government plans to implement child welfare recommendations made by Dr Geoffrey Shannon in his Child Protection Audit. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “This is a welcome announcement from Minister Zappone that she is to put in place Dr Shannon’s recommendations; however it is critical that…

A year on since the Government and Fianna Fáil sent Labour’s Bill to amend the Equal Status Act to allow local children attend local schools regardless of their religion, for public consultation, Labour spokesperson on Education, Joan Burton TD, has called on the Government to take real action on the baptism barrier by getting its…

A Cheann Comhairle, This is a poor measure. And it is promoted for shoddy motives. That it is being promoted by the party that prides itself above all on its adherence to the Constitution, constitutional probity and the rule of law is deeply depressing. And it does not go unnoticed that the party of Collins…