I have genuine concerns about government amendments to the Water Services Amendment Bill 2016, that will give the minister power to unilaterally extend both the term of the suspension of water charges and the lifespan of the Water Commission. There is little doubt but that these amendments could result in our exposure to daily fines,…

The proposed “private sector ownership model” being brought forward by Minister for Communications Denis Naughten is being touted as the cheapest and quickest way to deliver broadband to rural areas however history shows this type of plan to be deeply flawed. Similar plans in the past have caused major long-term difficulties as they leave control…

Having attended the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland’s Pre-Budget Submission launch, Labour Spokesperson for Older People Emmet Stagg has called for support for the Society’s request for an increased allocation of €67m in the 2017 Budget to provide additional Home Care Packages for citizens suffering from dementia. Emmet Stagg said: “There are now some 55,000 people…

A recent report by Charlie Weston in the Irish Independent that banks in some instances are refusing to restore tracker mortgages to customers who had them wrongly removed, highlights the need for the authorities to take a harder line with financial institutions. Banks have cheated thousands of customers out of their tracker mortgages, and their…

Labour Senator Kevin Humphreys has asked Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar to clarify when the new paternity leave scheme will come into force. Senator Humphreys said “The previous Labour –Fine Gael government introduced two weeks paid paternity leave for the first time under Budget 2016. It was expected to come into force in September and…

The shooting dead of a man yesterday in Bridgefoot Street who was a resident of Cabra is another gangland killing in the Inner City in the growing saga of such crimes. This killing may or may not be related to the recent feud which caused the deaths of seven people from the North Inner City…

I read with interest in the Irish Times today, that Sinn Fein has raised $354,111 in America in the six months to the end of April, for political activities. This brings to over $12,000,000, the amount that the party has raised in the US since 1995. By the way, this includes money donated by Donald…

Alan Kelly TD, questions strongly whether the Government are acting constitutionally when it comes to the current Water Services Bill before the Dail.Deputy Kelly said: “Personally, I believe there is a strong possibility that this Bill is contrary to EU law, which has constitutional primacy over acts of the Oireachtas. I believe that Minister Coveney…