Type: Press

Labour Party representative for Dublin South-Central, Councillor Rebecca Moynihan, has called on Dublin City Council to put together a compulsory purchase order to acquire the Player Wills’ site on the South Circular Road for cost rental and affordable housing to buy. Councillor Moynihan said: “For over a decade now the Player Wills’ site on the…

Labour spokesperson for Community Affairs, Cllr Andrew Montague, and chair of the Dublin City Council Planning Committee has welcomed the proposal to rezone tracts of industrial land in Dublin City for housing but insisted that the State should purchase the land under a reformed Compulsory Purchase Order system, based on the 1973 Kenny Report to…

Labour spokesperson on Urban Regeneration Joe Costello responding to reports about NAMA has said: “Recent events and recent statistics demonstrate that the housing crisis is going from bad to worse. “It is disingenuous of Minister Paschal Donohue’s officials to state that the Minister has no role in how NAMA conducts its business and that therefore…

As part of the Parnell Summer School which will take place from 12-16 August at Avondale House, Rathdrum, Co Wicklow, Senator Ivana Bacik will take part in a timely discussion on the centenary of women’s suffrage.  Speaking about the event, Bacik stated, ‘As we celebrate 100 years of women’s suffrage in 2018, we should reflect…

Labour Councillor and former Lord Mayor, Mary Freehill has asked why the Government is afraid of a hotel bedroom tax, which is the norm in cities across the world. It would raise €15 million a year in Dublin for investment in public amenities and cultural facilities. Cllr Freehill said: “Dublin needs an hotel and Guest…

Labour Party Housing spokesperson, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has called on the Government to progress the Housing (Homeless Families) Bill in light of reports that up to 8 families were forced to self-accommodate in Garda stations last night. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “It is deeply disturbing to hear reports during the week about homeless families and children…

Labour Party TD for Dublin Fingal, Brendan Ryan TD has welcomed a commitment he has received from the National Transport Authority that a second bus would now be added to the 101X service, due in Balrothery at 6:10am each morning. Speaking on the matter, Deputy Ryan said: “I am delighted that, after my engagement with…

Labour Party Health Spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has welcomed the decision to start the process of extending the HPV vaccine to boys.  Deputy Kelly said: “The announcement that the Minister for Health has been instructed to start the process of extending the HPV vaccine to boys is extremely welcome. “The Labour Party has been leading…

Labour Party Local Area Representative Peter Horgan has called on Sport Ireland to refund all Irish Women’s Hockey Squad members their representational fee of €550 each as a gesture of goodwill that will bring to an end the shameful practice of forcing players to pay to represent their country. “These women have brought pride, grit…

Labour Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has criticised the Government for their handling of the Cervical Check scandal. Deputy Kelly said: “Despite assurances from the Taoiseach that cases would not end up in the courts, the announcement made by the Government do little to assure the women affected that they won’t have to end up…

Labour spokesperson on Education, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has reiterated his proposals of State provided school books at no cost to parents and bans on voluntary contributions. This follows today’s reporting of the Barnardos ‘Back to School’ survey which has seen an increase in the number of parents paying voluntary contributions. Speaking today Senator Ó…

Labour Party representative for Dún Laoghaire, Deirdre Kingston, has said the proposals for a ‘Granny Grant’ smacks of desperation from the Independent Alliance and it is clear that they do not have a grasp of the problems that parents have when it comes to accessing affordable childcare. Councillor Kingston said: “It is clear that silly…

Labour’s spokesperson for Rural and Community Affairs, Deputy Willie Penrose has called on Bus Éireann to revisit their decision to axe totally ten stops on the No. 20 and 20X bus route. Deputy Penrose said: “The proposed cut of 10 stops to the No. 20 and 20 X route will see huge stretches of the…

Labour Transport spokesperson, Senator Kevin Humphreys has called on Bus Éireann to revisit their decision to axe totally ten stops on the No. 20 and 20X bus route, and has written to the NTA, Minister for Transport Shane Ross, Minister for Rural Affairs Michael Ring, and Bus Éireann to have it resolved, saying this is…

“The decision by An Bord Pleanala(ABP) to reject the proposed development in St Paul’s Cemetery , Glasnevin for a chapel, a service block, 74 carparking spaces and reflective pools on the lands where thousands of people, mainly children, were buried during Famine times and in later decades, is most welcome. “It was unconscionable that Dublin…

Labour Equality spokesperson Cllr Deirdre Kingston has said if we want to see better balance on the boards of listed companies, Ireland should introduce a legally binding quota of 30% as a first step, for non-executive directors, as applies in countries like Germany. Cllr Kingston said: “The initiative by the Government to increase the representation…

Labour spokesperson on Education, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has reiterated his proposals of State provided school books at no cost to parents and bans on voluntary contributions. This follows today’s report of findings from the Irish League of Credit Unions which indicates that one-third of parents now need to take on personal debt to get…

Former Labour Presidential Director of Elections and representative for Dublin Central, Joe Costello has warned that media manipulation is a real concern in the forthcoming presidential election campaign. Mr Costello said: “The silly season appears to be in full swing. With the Dáil in recess the spotlight has shifted to the forthcoming Presidential Election. “A hitherto…

Labour spokesperson on Communications Seán Sherlock TD has slammed the Government’s response to the National Broadband Plan as news emerged that SSE has withdrawn from its consortium with Enet as the final bidder. Deputy Sherlock said: “We’ve known since February that there is only one bidder left in this project. Public trust is shot to…

Labour Health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD has said the Taoiseach needs to come out of hiding & speak to the nation today on Cervical Check Controversy. Deputy Kelly said: “The Taoiseach and his Government are in hiding on the Cervical Check controversy. What happened to Ruth Morrissey this week was a disgrace heaped upon a national…

Labour Equality spokesperson Cllr. Deirdre Kingston has called for greater resources to be dedicated to services for victims of rape and sexual violence within the legal process, as the Law Commision reviews a new law on consent. Commenting today, Cllr. Kingston said: “If there is a review of the law in Ireland, surely we should…

Labour Health spokesperson Alan Kelly has called on the Taoiseach, Minister for Health and State Claims Agency to explain why another woman impacted by the cervical cancer scandal has had to go to court, saying it is a disgrace and can’t happen again. Deputy Kelly said: “Another cervical cancer misdiagnosis case is in the High…

Jan O’Sullivan TD, Labour Party Spokesperson on Housing, is calling on the government to close the ‘new build’ loophole for rent pressure zones which is being used by landlords to increase rents at a higher annual rent than the 4% annual cap. Commenting today Deputy O’Sullivan said; “A report today of a landlord in Dublin…

Labour Health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD, has repeated his call for the pay of Section 39 workers to be restored, and as workers confirmed they would now go on strike, said the Government had failed them by not reaching agreement on starting pay restoration by the end of 2018. Deputy Kelly said: “For the want…