Labour Women is calling on Minister Varadkar to spend less time buttering up Blueshirts and more time running his department. Chair of Labour Women Sinead Ahern commented: “It’s shocking that there are 2,850 claims for Maternity Benefit waiting to be processed, with 1,300 of these already on maternity leave. “Minister Varadkar seems far more focused…

Labour Party leader, Brendan Howlin TD, will be joined by the Labour Party Chair, Jack O’Connor, for the annual James Connolly Commemoration at Arbour Hill in Dublin on Sunday, May 14th 2017. Deputy Howlin and Mr O’Connor will be available to speak to reporters ahead of the ceremony at 11.45am. The official ceremony, including speeches…

Labour spokesperson on Social Protection Willie Penrose TD has called on Minister Leo Varadkar to ensure he isn’t distracted any further by his leadership ambitions and ensures that new mothers receive their maternity benefit. Deputy Penrose said: “The failure of the Minister for Social Protection to ensure that hundreds of new mothers can receive their…

Thank you, Ceann Comhairle. Mr. Barnier, You will appreciate that the Brexit negotiating mandate is about our vital national interests, and the vital interests of this island as a whole. We have many concerns. We are an island off an island off the European mainland. Inevitably, our geography must dictate our policies and priorities. The…

Labour TD for Dublin West, Deputy Joan Burton has said: “My thoughts and sympathies are with the residents of Verdemont Coolmine, Blanchardstown who suffered a disastrous fire at their apartments. “I want to salute Dublin fire brigade and all the emergency workers and the Fingal County Council staff who worked to put out the fire…

Labour Party Senator, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has welcomed the passage of the Misuse of Drugs 2017 Bill, as an ‘historic day’ for drug policy in Ireland. Senator Ó Ríordáin first received Cabinet support for the legislation as Minister for State with Responsibility for Drugs, in December 2015. Senator Ó Ríordáin commented: “Today is an historic…

There is no attempt by the Labour Party to prevent the normalisation of the banking sector, as the Minister of State alleged. There is certainly no attempt to conflate two separate and discrete policy areas, namely, banking policy and capital investment constraints. The debt to GDP ratio is at a sustainable level and the general…

Labour Senator Ivana Bacik has welcomed measures contained in the new Social Welfare and Pensions Bill, which reflects legislation proposed by Labour earlier this year, to ensure greater pension rights for LGBT couples. Labour’s Equal Pensions Bill was introduced to the Seanad by Senator Bacik, in March. Senator Bacik commented: “I thank Minister Varadkar for adopting…