Commenting on the 2018 Action Plan for Education, Labour Education spokesperson, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has said that Minister Bruton’s latest Action Plan doesn’t take education staff into account. Senator Ó Ríordáin said: “The 2018 Action Plan for Education has many fine ideas such as implementing a foreign language strategy, introducing computer science in schools…

Labour Party legislation to tackle infant school absenteeism will be debated during Private Members’ time in the Seanad this afternoon. The Bill aims to amend the Education Welfare Act 2000 that established the National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) but which only applies to children aged 6-16 years. Currently children enrolled in a recognised school aged 4 or…

Labour Party legislation to tackle infant school absenteeism will be debated during Private Members’ time in the Seanad this afternoon. The Education Welfare Amendment Bill 2017 seeks to to amend the Education Welfare Act 2000 which established the National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) but which only applies to children aged 6-16 years. Currently children enrolled…

Labour Health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD has said the squabbling between the Minister for Health and his Department, with the HSE over health funding is distracting from delivery, and reveals the lack of commitment from the Department to delivering on Sláintecare. He has also called for the draft service plan for the year to come…

Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin has said that the revelations around the feuding factions in Sinn Féin in Dublin North West suggest that the matter may be one for An Garda Síochána rather than the Sinn Féin National Executive. Deputy Howlin said: “The seriousness of the claims and indeed photographic evidence of an alleged assault…

The Labour Party in Carlow-Kilkenny is today mourning the loss of Seamus Pattison, former councillor, Mayor, Freeman of Kilkenny, Teachta Dála, Minister for State, MEP and Ceann Comhairle. The constituency Chairperson, Seán Ó hArgáin, speaking on behalf of members and supporters, described Mr. Pattison as ‘the essence of public service, integrity and selfless dedication to…

Labour Party Leader, Brendan Howlin TD, has expressed concern about the Brexit challege and speficially on the capacity of Prime Minister Teresa May to do any deal on Brexit   Deputy Howlin said: “I believe that a new British election is necessary to elect a Government with the authority and capacity to engage with the…

Commenting on the Government’s long-awaited publication of the report into bogus self-employment, Labour Finance spokesperson Joan Burton TD has said that Revenue could lose up to €60 million because of bogus self-employment. Deputy Burton commented:  “When I was Minister for Social Protection I commissioned this report into bogus self-employment because of representations from a number…