Labour TD for Tipperary and Vice-Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Alan Kelly has questioned why the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald didn’t act on information Deputy Kelly put on the Dáil record regarding the Garda Training College on April 12th. Deputy Kelly said: “I raised the issues surrounding the Garda Training College…

Labour Party leader, Brendan Howlin, has commented on the one year anniversary of the Government. Deputy Howlin said: “This Government was put in place 365 days ago when Enda Kenny was re-elected as Taoiseach on 6th May. “Just 24 Acts have been passed since they took office, while the number of bills passed by the…

Labour spokesperson for Education and Skills, Joan Burton TD, has hit out at Fine Gael for trying once again to delay giving local children places in their local schools. Deputy Burton said: “We’ve seen from media reports today that there is serious internal pressure in the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party for further delaying tactics on…

Labour Spokesperson for Climate Action Sean Sherlock has welcomed the passage of his Prohibition of Microplastics Bill at second stage in the Dáil today. The Bill now moves onto committee stage following the abstention of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, who together had blocked a previous bill in the Seanad. Deputy Sherlock said: “This is…

Labour Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Senator Ivana Bacik, has expressed concern at reports Ireland may have voted in favour of Saudi Arabia securing a seat on the UN Commission on the Status of Women, and has called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to clarify the Irish position.  Senator Bacik commented: “Saudi Arabia has an…

Labour Senator Ivana Bacik has described the new National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020 as a ‘welcome start’ on the road toward greater equality between men and women, and reiterated the Labour Party’s commitment to legislate for gender pay gap transparency and so-called ‘revenge porn’. Senator Bacik commented: “Any moves to bring about greater…

Labour Party Leader, Brendan Howlin TD, has criticised the Government for delaying progress on collective bargaining rights for freelance workers. “The Government have today confirmed that Labour’s Bill to give collective bargaining rights to freelancers is stuck in parliamentary limbo. “As we approach the first anniversary of this Government, we have heard much about ‘new…

I will speak in favour of this Bill on behalf of the Labour Party. I congratulate and thank Deputy Browne and his colleagues on bringing it forward. It is very good legislation and it is a matter in which the Deputy has a keen interest and which he pursues consistently. The Bill seeks to integrate…