Type: Press

Speaking in response to today’s debate in the European Parliament on Hungary, which precedes tomorrow’s decision on whether or not to trigger Article 7, the EU’s ‘rule of law’ procedure that requires all member states to not reverse direction on democracy and fundamental rights, Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin spoke about how we are living…

Labour Senator Aodhán O Ríordáin has welcomed the announcement that President Donald Trump has cancelled his intended trip to Ireland. Senator Ó Ríordáin said: “Clearly the outpouring of objections to this visit has had the desired effect as President Trump has decided not to come to Ireland” “The mishandling is this entire episode by the…

Labour Party Health Spokesperson Alan Kelly TD has condemned the leaks of the Scally report before families affected by the Cervical Check scandal were briefed. Deputy Kelly said: “The leaking of the findings of Dr Gabriel Scally’s findings into the Cervical Check scandal show a complete lack respect to families impacted by the failings of…

Labour Dublin City Councillor Dermot Lacey has criticised the failure of the Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy to attend a meeting with the Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum to discuss the need for social and affordable housing in the area, while the Minister resorts to blaming local authorities for the lack of progress on homelessness….

Speaking today in response to the latest proposal from the Independent Alliance on Local Property Tax, Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin spoke about the importance of maintaining inter-generational solidarity, the integrity of local government funding and a fair tax system. Deputy Howlin said: “The Independent Alliance is firing the first shot to fatally undermine taxation…

Labour Health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD has called on the Minister for Health to guarantee that representatives of the families affected by Cervical Check receive the Scally report before publication, in tandem with the Cabinet. Deputy Kelly also raised concerns about the timing of the leak of concerns about the renewal of lab contracts for…

Labour Senator Kevin Humphreys, who has been calling for action to regulate AirBnB for two years has welcomed the belated moves by the Minister for Housing to regulate the sector. Senator Kevin Humphreys said: “Today’s Sunday Times reports that the Minister for Housing will finally take action on short term lets like AirBnB. Areas like…

Following the revelation by the Irish Midwives and Nurses Organisation that the HSE have no emergency department plan for Winter, Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has called on Minister for Health Simon Harris to publicly address this issue.  Deputy Kelly said: “The revelations today by the INMO following their meeting with the HSE…

Speaking today in response to Minister Eoghan Murphy’s threat to cut the role of local authorities, Labour Leader Brendan Howlin called this either a hollow threat or a foolish suggestion, either of which indicates a Minister well out of his depth and failing in his responsibilities. Deputy Howlin said: “This is either a hollow threat…

Responding to the Irish Fiscal Council’s pre-budget statement, Labour Finance and Public Expenditure Spokesperson, Joan Burton TD, noted two important flaws in the Fiscal Council’s comparison of Ireland to other small open economies. Deputy Burton said: “The Fiscal Council has an important role to play in providing independent advice to Government to help prevent the…

 Labour Senator Kevin Humphreys is calling on Minister Murphy to expedite promised recommendations to cabinet on regulating the short-term rental market Speaking today Senator Humphreys said “This week we heard the Minister for Housing claim that he would strip local councils of their ability to provide emergency housing and move them to his own department….

Responding to the Taoiseach’s letter to Micheál Martin and the front page headline ‘Tax cut of €600 for “average worker” key to Varadkar’s wish-list’ (Irish Independent, 5 September 2018), Labour Leader Brendan Howlin pointed out that far from providing a tax cut for “average” workers, the proposed changes would not provide any benefit to the…

Labour spokesperson on Health, Alan Kelly TD, has criticised the Minister for Health for his failure to address the lengthy waiting times for children in need of scoliosis surgery. This comes as parents and their children are still waiting long beyond the four month waiting time previously promised by Minister Harris. Deputy Kelly said: “It…

Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin TD today met with Eamon Ryan, Leader of the Green Party regarding the upcoming visit of US President Donald Trump to Ireland. Deputy Howlin said: “I have met with Eamon Ryan TD, leader of the Green Party. We have agreed to co-ordinate a public rally for democracy, decency and international…

Responding to the publication today of Ireland’s Corporation Tax Roadmap, remarks by the Governor of the Central Bank, as well as a report by the OECD on the convergence of corporation tax rates internationally, Labour Finance Spokesperson Joan Burton argued for a cross-party approach to consider Ireland’s fiscal policy. Deputy Burton said: “As other countries…

Labour Party Education spokesperson, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has said if the Government is to convene another Citizens’ Assembly, then it must examine the relationship of Church and State.  Senator Ó Ríordáin said: “With Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil trying to decide if they’ll take the plunge and give Confidence and Supply one more try,…

Labour spokesperson on Housing, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has criticised Fianna Fáil’s call for landlord tax breaks as part of budget negotiations.  Speaking today Deputy O’Sullivan said: “Fianna Fáil’s plan for tax breaks in exchange for longer leases does not address the real causes of our housing crisis. The issue here is tenants’ rights. A tax…

Labour Party Education spokesperson, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has said putting quotas in place in teacher-training courses are not the answer to help ease the crisis in our schools Senator Ó Ríordáin said: “While in theory, providing more teaching places for physics, languages and maths graduates is a good idea, in reality this will not…

Labour spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Sean Sherlock TD has said that the ESRI-Pobal study confirming high childcare costs are a barrier to women staying in the workplace won’t be a surprise to parents across Ireland, and that the Government must deliver increased investment in the Budget. Deputy Sherlock said: “As the third budget…

Reacting to Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe’s remarks on the National Debt, Labour Leader, Brendan Howlin TD, questioned the use of unorthodox statistics and the argument for Ireland to be treated as exceptional. Deputy Howlin said: “Minister Donohoe’s approach to the national debt is irresponsible. “Presenting the national debt in terms of…

Labour Justice spokesperson Sean Sherlock TD has said it is essential that the new Garda Commissioner Drew Harris deliver on a comprehensive programme of reforms to transform An Garda Síochána into a modern 21st century police force, and the Government must ensure he receives the resources to do so. Deputy Sherlock said: “The new Commissioner…

The Labour Party will propose at Monday’s City council meeting to utilise a source of funding that will enable Dublin City Council to build family housing on their 32 Depot sites located throughout the City. These Depot sites were earmarked for sale, to fund a centralised depot in Ballymun and were saved for public housing…

Speaking in reaction to the announcement of a visit by US President Donald Trump in November, Labour Leader Brendan Howlin spoke about the need for all democrats in Ireland, from left and right, to join in protest against the dangerous exceptionalism of Donald Trump. Deputy Howlin said: “Under normal circumstances, the President of the USA…

Speaking today on the Labour Party Leadership, chairperson of the Labour Parliamentary Party, Willie Penrose said: “I was disappointed by Alan Kelly’s interview this morning on Tipp FM. I have no problem with anyone who has ambitions to lead the Labour Party, but if that’s what anyone wants he or she should respect the Party’s…