I WELCOME the publication today of the 2015 Social Housing report by Minister Alan Kelly. This report published in collaboration with the Housing Agency enhances openness and transparency around the delivery of the social housing strategy and other programmes to tackle the current housing crisis. There are many aspects of the report to be welcomed…

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Equality, New Communities, Culture and Drugs Strategy, today announced that the Government has approved proposals for the necessary legislative amendments to family leave legislation to allow for the introduction of 2 weeks paternity leave, as from September 2016. The 2 weeks’ leave will be accompanied…

 –       13,000 new units across all schemes –       2,000 people exited homelessness –       420 Housing Staff Employed –       5,000 new units under construction rising to 10,000 per year  Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Alan Kelly T.D. in collaboration with the Housing Agency, today (26 January 2016) published the Social Housing Output in…

– 400 new local authority staff to support the construction of 10,000 homes per year The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Alan Kelly T.D., today announced a further allocation of funding of €182 million for the delivery of nearly 1,000 additional social housing units.  These most recent approvals follow two large scale…

Kathleen Lynch T.D., Minister for Social Care (Older People and Disabilities), Primary Care and Mental Health today announced one of the most comprehensive programmes of investment in public nursing home facilities in the history of the State. The investment is planned for 90 centres across the country between now and 2021. This includes the replacement…

The pupils of Gaelscoil Bharra, who have studied in dilapidated prefabs for the last twenty years are getting the go-ahead today for their new school.  The Letter of Acceptance will issue to the contractor from the Department of Educations and Skills today.  It is now a matter for the contractor to go on site.  Work…

Minister of State for Equality, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has welcomed today’s cabinet decision to give the green light for two weeks paid paternity leave. Speaking following the announcement, the Labour Party Minister said: “I first raised the need for the introduction of paid paternity leave in September 2014, speaking at an event hosted by Startstrong…

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin was conspicuously absent from the launch of his own party’s mental health policy today. In fact, there was a distinct lack of Fianna Fail parliamentarians present at the event at all – just one Senator and one backbench TD bothered to turn up. This poor showing is not just hugely…