Type: Press

Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin TD has said that the Taoiseach should correct the Dáil record on the misleading information provided on the filling of the most senior Garda position in the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE), and that the position must be filled immediately if the Government is serious about tackling…

Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin TD has described a jingoistic editorial in the UK Sun newspaper condemning Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as ‘ignorant, bullying and ageist’. Deputy Howlin said: “The editorial tells Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to ‘shut his gob’ as Ireland presses the UK for concrete and real solutions to the border issue, referring to him…

Labour spokesperson on Housing, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has said today’s report by Focus Ireland on the impact of homelessness on families and children, highlights the need for urgent action to tackle the crisis. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “While homelessness has a devastating impact on anyone who finds themselves in that situation, this report shines a light…

Labour Party leader and spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Brendan Howlin TD, has expressed concern regarding mixed signals being sent by Leo Varadkar and his government on Brexit. Deputy Howlin was speaking following meetings between the British Prime Minister and Taoiseach and the respective Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney and Boris Johnson. Deputy Howlin said:…

Labour Community Affairs spokesperson, Cllr Andrew Montague has expressed his disappointment on learning that the Government now intends delaying the introduction of a rent deposit protection scheme until 2019 saying it is bad for renters. The confirmation came from Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy follows the Labour Party raising it in the Dáil. Cllr Montague…

With the proclamation today in Gothenburg of the European Pillar of Social Rights, Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin has said that it must now be backed up by Government action. Deputy Howlin said: “Today European leaders proclaim in Gothenburg a European Pillar of Social Rights. This is an important development for the European Union. In…

Labour spokesperson on Sport, Cllr Mark Wall has said that the continuing delays to the allocations of Sports Capital Grants are seriously threatening the viability of club projects. The deadline for applications was 24th February but as recently as 11th September we were informed the announcement would be in the coming weeks yet two months…

Speaking at a public meeting in the Scouts’ Hall Phibsborough, Joe Costello, Labour Party Spokesperson on Urban Regeneration criticised An Post for deciding to close down one of its last three remaining branches on the North Side of Dublin. “If this rate of closure by An Post continues, the only Branch Post Office left in…

Galway City Labour Councillor Niall McNelis has slammed the Government for it’s failure to tackle the housing crisis in a meaningful way despite the many suggestions that have been forward. Labour is holding a public meeting on Thursday night in Glaway to discuss these solutions. Cllr McNelis said:“Despite much fanfare at the Budget, there was…

Labour Women and Labour Youth are today holding a Day of Action on their Register to Repeal campaign where a number of colleges and constituencies nationwide are spreading awareness on the voter registration deadline of November 25th. Speaking on the matter Chair of Labour Women Sinead Ahern commented: “Next year we will have an important…

Labour Party Education spokesperson, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has said the recently published Bertelsmann Stifung report on education across the European Union challenges the notion that our education system could be the best in Europe.  Senator Ó Ríordáin commented:  “The report lays bare the nonsense that Minister Bruton has been peddling that our education system…

Labour spokesperson on Sport, Councillor Mark Wall, has expressed his disappointment at news from London that Ireland has failed to clinch Rugby World Cup hosting duties in 2023, but praised the efforts of the Irish delegation. Cllr Wall said: “I think for any Irish sports fan it has certainly been a very disappointing 24 hours….

The Labour Party is delighted to announce that Aaron Mills, of Coolock, Dublin is the recipient of the 2017 Richard O’Carroll Empowerment Bursary which was first awarded in 2016 as part of the Labour Party’s centenary commemoration of the 1916 Rising. Aaron Mills who completed his Leaving Certificate at the top if his class in…

Labour Party legislation to recognise homeless children in their own right within the family unit will be debated during Private Members’ Time in the Dáil this evening. The Homeless Families Bill would require Local Authorities to recognise the rights of a child in a family unit when applying for accommodation or other assistance, which are…

Labour TD Alan Kelly has said: “The Taoiseach’s response today in the Dail to my questions regarding the Department of Justice raise even more questions than answers. “Firstly the Taoiseach refused to say whether the Department of Justice were privy to the legal strategy adopted by the previous Garda Commissioner at the O’Higgins Commission. “In…

The Government must stop dragging their feet on planned new laws to give workers on “if & when” contracts more certainty over their working hours said Labour spokesperson on Workers Rights, Senator Ged Nash, as he endorsed the ‘Secure Hours = Better Future’ Campaign launched by Mandate trade union today seeking six clear pledges in…

At last night’s Dublin City Council annual Budget meeting the DCC Labour Cllr Group secured an amendment to the proposed 2018 Dublin City Council Budget to provide €475,000 funding for the training of 20 new recruits for Dublin Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service. Cllr Alison Gilliland said: “This funding is a small step to supporting…

Labour Party General Election candidate for Dublin Bay South, Senator Kevin Humphreys, has said the Government needs to urgently move on directly-elected mayor for Dublin proposals. Senator Humphreys said: “The Government needs to move forward on the issue of a directly-elected for Dublin urgently as there has been too much foot dragging on this issue…

Labour Housing spokesperson, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has called on the Government to introduce a national affordable housing scheme as part of efforts to tackle the housing crisis. It follows the latest ESRI report which shows house prices could rise by 20% over the next three years, while rent is also up by 11% in the…

Commenting on the statement by the Minister for Justice on the Charleton Tribunal, Deputy Alan Kelly has said the Taoiseach needs to do the right thing regarding unanswered questions from the Department of Justice. Deputy Kelly said: “The statement by the Department of Justice this evening is deeply worrying and an affront to the democratic…

Labour Party Leader and Spokesperson on Northern Ireland, Brendan Howlin TD, has said that the effective return of direct rule in the North is coming at the worst possible time. Deputy Howlin said: “After months of negotiations and deadlines being extended and re-extended, a budget is now being imposed on Northern Ireland by Secretary of…

Labour Senator Ivana Bacik has said that any blueprint to achieving greater gender equality in Ireland must include concrete measures to close the gender pay gap, such as implementing mandatory wage transparency surveys, as proposed by the Labour Party.  It follows reports over the weekend that the Government is to launch a Commission on the…

Labour Finance spokesperson Joan Burton TD has said that the revelations this week from the Paradise Papers, and the news today that €600 million in corporation tax has been repaid to multinationals shows the need for a Standing Commission on Taxation and a full Dáil debate. Deputy Burton said:“Ireland’s corporation tax take has become increasingly…

Labour TD Alan Kelly has today said: “I have been continuously asking questions regarding the Department of Justice and what they knew prior to the O’Higgins Commission commencing and particularly the strategy adopted by the former Garda Commissioner at it in respect of Sergeant Maurice McCabe. “These questions have not been answered by the Department…