Type: Press

Labour TD for Tipperary, Alan Kelly, has called today on Minister Eoghan Murphy to extend the timeline for submissions to the National Planning Framework by at least a month beyond November 10th to ensure people have time to make their views known on how to tackle regional imbalances. Deputy Kelly said: “The deadline for public…

Labour Housing spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan TD has urged the Government to make use of the thousands of vacant homes lying idle across the country in a bid to quickly tackle the homeless crisis. It comes as the latest figures from the Department of Housing show the number of people living in emergency accommodation has reached…

Labour TD Joan Burton has said the country needs to prepare for the possibility of a challenging winter ahead for the health service. Deputy Burton said: “Just as the country recently prepared for Storm Ophelia in terms of public announcements and putting safeguard arrangements in place, we need to now prepare for what could turn…

Labour Housing spokesperson, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has said the failure of the Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil majority to pass anything at all in response to this week’s Private Members’ motion on the housing crisis is another example of the ‘do-nothing Dáil’ in action. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “I am disappointed but frankly not surprised that…

Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin TD, has said we need to see personal accountability from the banks in light of the tracker mortgage scandal. Deputy Howlin said: “Just a few short years ago the banks brought our country to its knees with reckless lending. Now we have yet another scandal. The banks are now in…

I welcome the opportunity to participate in this debate.  I also took the opportunity to send in a submission, on behalf of my party, in the earlier consultation phase.  This has been going on since 2014.  It is a long time and there have been many meetings around the country.  There have been opportunities for…

Labour spokesperson on Urban Regeneration and resident of the North Inner city Joe Costello has said the local community is shocked by the violent killing of a woman in the area. Mr Costello said: “The reported violent death of a young French woman in Gardiner Street in the North Inner City last night is a…

In advance of a sod turning ceremony for 19 new homes in Beech Hill, Dublin 4, Labour Leader on Dublin City Council, Councillor Dermot Lacey highlighted that it has taken several years and many obstacles had to be overcome for him to advance the project to this point, but that it provides a template for…

Labour Party General Election candidate for Dublin Bay North, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has criticised Minister Finian McGrath on delays to establishing a new mobility scheme to assist those with a disability in meeting their increased mobility costs. Senator Ó Ríordáin said: “Despite answering Parliamentary Questions saying that a new mobility scheme will be up…

Labour member of the Oireachtas Water Committee Deputy Jan O’Sullivan has expressed her surprise and disappointment that two of her amendments to the Water Services Bill have been ruled out of order by the Committee chair. The Labour amendments called for a referendum to ensure our water supply and waste water treatment services remain in…

The Labour Party’s Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2017 will be debated at Committee Stage in the Seanad this evening, after passing second stage in May. The Bill seeks to drive down the existing gender pay gap in Ireland of around 14% by requiring employers of 50 or more staff to regularly publish wage transparency…

Labour Party spokesperson on Equality, Councillor Deirdre Kingston, has expressed concern at the leniency of the sentencing of Tom Humphries and has criticised some of the coverage of the Tom Humphries sentencing as being insensitive to the victims of sexual crime.  Councillor Kingston said: “The leniency of Tom Humphries’ sentence and the subsequent coverage show we have…

Labour Party Leader and spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Brendan Howlin TD, has welcomed news that Ibrahim Halawa has finally returned home to Ireland. Deputy Howlin said: “I am delighted to hear that Ibrahim Halawa has returned home safely to Ireland after spending four years in an Egyptian prison. “I am sure today will be an…

Labour Finance spokesperson Joan Burton TD has said that there must now be full transparency from those banks implicated in the tracker mortgage scandal and an urgency brought to efforts to compensate those affected. Deputy Burton also said that if the Central Bank believes a crime has been committed then there must be a comprehensive…

Labour Party Equality spokesperson, Councillor Deirdre Kingston has rubbished claims by Fianna Fail Senator Terry Leyden that rugby is bad for women’s health. Councillor Kingston has also supported the #Legacy campaign by players which is calling into question the legacy the IRFU want to leave women’s rugby with, just after hosting the World Cup. Cllr Kingston…

Following revelations over the weekend that Fine Gael plan to charge €5 a visit for children between 6 and 12 to visit their GP, Labour spokesperson on Health Alan Kelly TD has said that this move would defeat the purpose of the scheme and undermine the cross party Sláintecare proposals. Deputy Kelly said: “Two years…

“The tracker mortgage scandal demonstrates once again that the Irish banking system cannot be trusted to deal honestly with the Irish people.  “Two of the main culprits are banks that are still substantially in State ownership.  AIB is 71% owned by the Irish taxpayer and Permanent TSB is 75% while bank of Ireland’s state shareholding…

Reacting to the latest comments of the Taoiseach at a private Fine Gael fundraiser in an exclusive hotel in one of Dublin’s most expensive suburbs, Labour TD Alan Kelly has said: “Two weeks on it’s clear that this cup of coffee budget has fallen flat with the public, leaving a bitter taste in the Taoiseach’s…

Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin has accused the Government of reneging on commitments on budget transparency in Budget 2018 and making political debate about budgetary choices for the years ahead practically impossible. Deputy Howlin said: “New politics is increasingly looking like the old politics.” “While people tired around discussions around fiscal space at the last…

Labour Leader Brendan Howlin has said today that Ireland will have to give real consideration to opposing Brexit discussions moving onto transition and trade related issues following the EU Council in December if clear and evident progress is not made on the Irish issue. Deputy Howlin said: “The suggestions emanating from the EU Council that…

Labour spokesperson on Urban Regeneration, Joe Costello has said the remarks by the chairman of the Housing Agency that the housing crisis is ‘completely normal’ beggars belief. Mr Costello said: “The statement by Conor Skehan, chairman of the Housing Agency that “Ireland’s housing crisis is completely normal” beggars belief.  “How normal is it that too…

Following the overwhelming vote by trade unions in Irish Rail to take industrial action following a collapse in talks, Labour spokesperson on Transport, Senator Kevin Humphreys has called on Irish Rail management and Minister for Transport Shane Ross to step up and resolve the situation. Senator Humphreys said: “I am deeply disturbed that talks to…

Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin has criticised the Government for the slow progress made in providing adequate funding to the arts sector following the promise of the Taoiseach to double funding. Deputy Howlin said: “After his election earlier this year, the Taoiseach made a commitment to double funding for the arts and culture over the…

Senator Ged Nash has welcomed the enactment of the first sectoral employment order for construction workers today, based on legislation introduced by the Labour Party. This order sets legally binding rates of pay and conditions for construction workers as a result of proposals passed into law by then Minister for Employment Nash in 2015. Sen….