Speaking at the James Connolly Commemoration Arbour Hill, It is a privilege to be here as Labour Party Leader at this event. I’m here too on a more personal level as the grand- daughter of James Burton, railway worker and number 73 on Dr Ann Matthew’s Citizen Army membership roll. This is a poignant and…

The previous Government was faced with a breakdown of public trust in the ability of our policing institutions to properly police themselves and their own members. The Government inherited a system involving a ‘confidential recipient’, to whom Gardaí were supposed to submit concerns about malpractice, that was shown to be manifestly unfit for purpose. It…

Fears expressed by arts practitioners this week, that the arts have been downgraded and sidelined in the new government department configuration, seem to be well founded. Not only has the arts portfolio been further diluted by cramming more and more responsibilities into the same department, but the Programme for Government published this week is sadly…

Labour Party TD Alan Kelly has called on UK citizens living in Ireland to register to vote in the upcoming Brexit referendum. Deputy Kelly commented: “The Brexit referendum has profoundly significant ramifications for Ireland, the UK and the rest of Europe. The Labour Party firmly believes in the UK remaining in the European Union. “The…

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone must make clear her opposition to Programme for Government plans to link child benefit payments to school attendance and take steps to make sure the proposal is nipped in the bud. Under this plan, children who miss school, usually as a result of complex domestic and family issues, would be…

Labour Party Leader Joan Burton has said the Programme for Government shows this government is going to be one which lacks ambition, is unfair and afraid to tackle the big issues of our time. Deputy Burton commented: “The Programme for Government represents a bad deal for Ireland. It is incredibly irresponsible there are no costings…

Labour Party Senator Kevin Humphreys has accused Fianna Fáil of blatant hypocrisy by attacking Fine Gael over linking child benefit to school attendance, when they are the party propping up Fine Gael in government. Senator Humphreys commented: “I am completely opposed to linking child benefit to school attendance. It is a highly regressive and impractical…

IBEC SHOULD BE CONDEMNING THE ACTIONS OF THOSE WHO CLOSED DOWN CLERYS, NOT THE MOVES TO PUNISH THEM AND PROTECT WORKERS  Labour Party Senator Ged Nash has hit out at comments by employers’ body IBEC which is warning against the introduction of new legislation aimed at preventing situations such as the liquidation of Clerys.    IBEC was responding…