Type: Press

Speaking in response to UK Prime Minister May’s call for detailed, written counter-proposals from the EU, Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin said: “The UK and EU agreed on a joint declaration in relation to the Irish border backstop in December 2017. “When the EU Barnier team spelled out that declaration in clear legal language, it…

Labour Spokesperson on Transport Kevin Humphreys has criticised Minister Ross’s comments in which he claims he has “nothing to do with Bus Connects” Commenting today Senator Humphreys said: “Minister Ross seems to have a gross misunderstanding of his role if he believes the largest review of public transport seen in Dublin in decades has “nothing…

Labour Party GE candidate for Dublin South Central, Cllr Rebecca Moynihan, has secured agreement from Dublin City Councillors for Dublin City Council to provide free sanitary products in all DCC buildings.  Speaking after the DCC Finance meeting, Cllr Moynihan said:  “I’m delighted that my fellow councillors have agreed with my proposal to provide free sanitary…

On Leaders Questions in the Dáil, Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste if the Government plans to bring in special tax cuts for developers and speculators who have been hoarding vacant development land. The Tánaiste wouldn’t confirm or deny the proposal. Deputy Howlin said: “One Budget kite floated this week was that Minister…

Labour Party Education spokesperson, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has called for a new, radical approach in all teaching colleges to encourage students from disadvantaged backgrounds to consider teaching as a career option. This comes as Maynooth University  have started a Turn to Teaching initiative to encourage students from disadvantaged backgrounds Senator Ó Ríordáin said: “Earlier this…

Labour Women and Labour Youth have welcomed the official repeal of the 8th Amendment. Commenting Labour Youth chair Chloe Manahan said “Now there is no official legal impediment we are calling on government to act swiftly, in partnership with stakeholders to ensure legislation is passed as soon as possible. We are also calling on government…

Speaking in response to difficulty many people are having in qualifying for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme, Labour Housing spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan TD spoke about the need to make the scheme accessible to working families who do not have the ability to save for a deposit due to rental costs by introducing a Rent…

Labour Senator, and life long campaigner for repeal, Ivana Bacik has tonight welcomed the signing into law of the Act that gives effect to the repeal of the 8th amendment following the decision of the people in May. Senator Bacik said: “It is an overwhelming relief to all of us who have campaigned for repeal…

Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin TD has expressed his sympathy to the family, friends and constituents of former Labour Party TD for Cork West, William (Billy) Murphy. Deputy Howlin said:“William or Billy as he was known was the youngest ever TD elected to the Dáil when he secured 18,909 votes in the Cork West by-election…

Labour Finance spokesperson Joan Burton has said it is beyond time that the Minister for Public Expenditure responded to the concerns of Section 39 workers. Deputy Burton said: “The Government is boasting of the success of a growing and stable economy while it denies vital pay restoration to thousands of workers in Section 39 organisations….

Labour Justice spokesperson Sean Sherlock TD has welcomed the common sense and practical proposals on policing and has said: “A comprehensive roadmap of reforms for policing in Ireland has been published, and the Minister must now commit to fast-track those measures. It will take some time to digest the full report and its implications, but…

Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has welcomed the rise in the uptake of the HPV vaccine and has called on the HSE to move quickly to end the HPV vaccine to young boys. Deputy Kelly said: “I’m delighted to see the uptake of the HPV vaccine rise again this year despite dangerous and…

Labour General Election candidate for Dublin South Central, Councillor Rebecca Moynihan, has said the Minister for Housing and the Land Development Agency must support Dublin City Council to buy the Player Wills site and keep it in public ownership. A meeting of Dublin City Council will discuss a motion by Councillor Moynihan tomorrow calling on…

Labour Senator Kevin Humphreys has called on the Minister for Housing to expand proposed regulations on Airbnb to all short term let websites operating in Ireland. Commenting today Senator Humphreys said: “Reports of landlords moving to alternative short term let websites ahead of plans to regulate providers such as Airbnb are worrying but unsurprising. This…

Labour Finance spokesperson Joan Burton TD, speaking on the ten year anniversary of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Lehman’s Brothers said: “On the 15th September 2008 the world changed when Lehman’s Brothers bank filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It would have a profound and devastating impact on Ireland where the FF-PD economic model would be…

Galway Mayor Cllr Niall McNelis has called on the Minister for Health to close the funding gap in capital investment for health services spending to ensure an essential cancer treatment unit is delivered in Galway, that will serve the entire North-West region, pointing out that ‘Ireland 2040’ is falling at the first hurdle. Mayor McNelis…

Labour Senator Ivana Bacik has today commended the bravery of Máiría Cahill and called on the PSNI to work to deliver justice for her and all other victims of sexual abuse at the hands of the republican movement.   Speaking today Senator Bacik said:   “I welcome the findings of the PSNI in their internal…

Labour spokesperson on housing Jan O’Sullivan has today described government’s plan for housing as “old wine in new bottles” Commenting today O’Sullivan said: “Today’s announcement from government of a Land Development Bank is a plan to sell off state-owned land to developers to make a profit which is totally the opposite of what needs to…

Labour Party representative for Dublin Bay North, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has welcomed the decision by An Bord Pleanála to refuse permission for a development on St. Paul’s land adjacent to St Anne’s Park. Senator Ó Ríordáin said: “I have been campaigning against development on this land for three years with local community groups and…

Speaking as part of a two-day visit to Galway, Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin addressed some of the needs of the city and county. Deputy Howlin said “It was put to me recently that even if the IDA found a business that wanted to open a factory with 1000 jobs in Galway, it couldn’t be…

Labour Party Education spokesperson, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has called on the Government and their coalition partners, Fianna Fáil to deliver on tackling back to school costs in the upcoming budget. Senator Ó Ríordáin said: “As the phoney war between the Government parties, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Independent Alliance continues over the airwaves,…

Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has called for the recommendations of the Scoping Inquiry into the CervicalCheck Screening Programme to be implemented urgently and has called for an external investigative review.  Speaking on the publication of Dr Scally’s report, Deputy Kelly said: “I accept the recommendations of Dr.Scally’s Scoping Inquiry fully and I…

Labour Justice spokesperson, Séan Sherlock TD, has called on the new Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris and the Minister for Justice to explain the heavy handed tactics used by An Garda Síochána alongside private security men in balaclavas in the eviction of protestors in Dublin last night. Deputy Sherlock said: “While we must respect court decisions,…

Speaking in response to Fianna Fáil’s proposal for €200 million for ‘affordable housing’ and their claim this would provide 4000 homes, Labour Party spokesperson on housing, Jan O’Sullivan TD, argued that the Fianna Fáil proposals are insufficient, inefficient and unsustainable. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “Fianna Fáil are asking the Government to spend an additional €200 million…