News – The Labour PartyLabour spokesperson on Climate Action and the Environment, Senator Ivana Bacik, has welcomed the publication of the new National Mitigation Plan but is calling on the Government to commit to more substantive measures to tackle climate change. Senator Bacik commented: “I welcome the publication of today’s plan on climate action, and…

News – The Labour PartyLabour Cllr for Dun Laoghaire, Deirdre Kingston has said there is a lot more that needs to happen before the sale agreement on the Clonkeen pitches is signed, sealed and delivered. Cllr. Kingston said: “Recent reports from the Minister for Education suggest that the sale is a done deal. “I don’t…

News – The Labour PartyLabour spokesperson on Worker’s Rights, Senator Ged Nash has said that the government is making extremely hard work of their pledge to increase the National Minimum Wage to €10.50 per hour. Senator Nash said: “While modest, the Low Pay Commission’s recommendation to increase the rate by 30 cent an hour to…

News – The Labour PartyVice Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Alan Kelly TD, reacting to the report on the financial irregularities at the Garda College in Templemore, has said that the conclusions show that the position of the Garda Commissioner is untenable, and should resign. Deputy Kelly said: “Following extensive hearings on the financial…

News – The Labour PartyLabour spokesperson on Social Protection, Senator Ged Nash, has called on the Government to come clean on where the €170 million to refund water charges will come from. Senator Nash is concerned that the Christmas Bonus may be scrapped, and spending on frontline public services curtailed to pay for it. There…

News – The Labour PartyLabour Party spokesperson on Education and Skills, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has launched the Education (Welfare) (Amendment) Bill 2017. The Bill aims 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 in a…

News – The Labour PartyLabour spokesperson on Health Promotion and Drugs Strategy, Councillor Martina Genockey, has broadly welcomed the National Drugs Strategy but said Minister Catherine Byrne must accelerate efforts on drug injection centres. Commenting on the National Drugs Strategy, Cllr Genockey said: “I broadly welcome the positive measures included in the National Drugs Strategy…

News – The Labour PartyLabour Education spokesperson, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has called on the Government to outline how it plans to reduce primary school class sizes. It comes after figures from the Department of Education show that nearly 120 thousand primary school children remain in classes of at least 30 pupils. Senator Ó Ríordáin…