Type: Press

Labour spokesperson on Children, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has said a report by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) highlights the importance of passing Labour legislation recognising the rights of homeless children in an emergency accommodation situation. The IHREC has raised a number of concerns regarding families and children in long-term homelessness, saying more…

Labour Senators today will use their Private Members’ time to call on the Government to oppose the student loan scheme option recommended in the Cassells’ Report. The Labour Party motion calls on the Government to commit to providing equality of access to education for all; reject any move to implement an income contingent loan scheme…

Labour Spokesperson on Health, Alan Kelly TD, is demanding answers from the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, and the HSE, regarding their failure to allocate the drug Entresto for reimbursement – a drug which has been certified as both life saving and cost-effective. Deputy Kelly said: “Exactly a year ago, a state body certified that…

Vice Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Alan Kelly TD of the Labour Party, has welcomed the publication of the PAC report today on the third level education sector. It shows the need for full transparency on the sources of funding Universities and Institutes of Technology have, and how they spend their resources. Deputy Kelly…

Labour Housing spokesperson, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has said the latest CSO house price figures highlight the urgent need for action on the supply of homes across Ireland. The figures show house prices rose nationally by just under 12 per cent in the past year, the fastest increase in more than two years. Deputy O’Sullivan said:…

Labour Housing spokesperson, Jan O’Sullivan TD, is today introducing legislation into the Dáil that aims to ensure the best interests of homeless children are recognised by Local Authorities in an emergency situation. The Housing (Homeless Families) Bill 2017 would require Local Authorities to recognise the rights of a child in a family unit when applying…

Labour Leader in the Seanad, Senator Ivana Bacik has welcomed the support from the Union of Students in Ireland for the Labour Party’s motion to be debated on Wednesday evening. Labour’s motion calls on the Government to affirm its commitment to providing equality of access to education for all; to reject any move to implement…

Labour Spokesperson on Public Expenditure and Reform, Sean Sherlock has welcomed the movement by Government to designate a large portion of the rainy day fund for increased capital expenditure however he said that more investment is still needed. The Labour Party has proposed since April that the €3 billion fund should be allocated to capital…

  Labour Party Senator, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin will this week lead Labour Party’s private members’ motion in Seanad outlining our opposition to student loans. Labour’s motion calls on the Government to affirm its commitment to providing equality of access to education for all; to reject any move to implement an income contingent loan scheme to…

Labour Local Area Representative in Cork South Central, Peter Horgan, has called for the Department of Heritage to take a proactive approach on Cork’s heritage buildings, after a series of fires have destroyed a large chunk of Cork’s heritage. “There are mixed feelings in Cork on the legacy of some of the buildings that have…

Labour Senator Kevin Humphreys has called for an independent inspection to be carried out at the Poolbeg incinerator to determine if there’s a possible connection with a recent fly infestation in the area. Senator Humphreys said: “This really is quite an unusual situation and residents and business owners are understandably quite distressed. “What we need…

Labour spokesperson on Mental Health, Kathleen Lynch, has expressed her concern over a report by the mental health watchdog which found a rise in the number of children admitted to adult units. The Mental Health Commission described the increase as ‘totally unacceptable’. Ms. Lynch commented: “I am concerned to see that the recent downward trend…

Labour General Election candidate for Dún Laoghaire, Cllr. Deirdre Kingston, has said it is vital that the Minister for Education and Skills throws his weight behind the students of Clonkeen College and insists on the playing pitches remaining as school facilities. The school was recently hit with the news that the Congregation of Christian Brothers…

Labour leader Brendan Howlin TD, has today announced that the Labour Party will co-sponsor the Green Party’s Waste Reduction Bill, and use its Private Members’ slot this Tuesday to debate the legislation. The Bill would see non-biodegradable coffee cups banned from 2020, and introduce a deposit and refund scheme for closed beverage containers. Deputy Howlin…

Labour spokesperson on Housing, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has expressed her disappointment that the Government’s Vacant Homes Strategy has been delayed until at least late Autumn. Deputy O’Sullivan made the comments following statements in the Dáil on Housing this morning. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “A fraction of the empty homes in Ireland would solve the Housing crisis. …

Labour spokesperson on Social Protection Willie Penrose TD has questioned the agreement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on the limit for publication of social welfare fraud cases. For tax defaulters, only cases above €30,000 are published. Deputy Penrose has said one class of case should not be treated differently to another. Deputy Penrose said:…

Labour leader Brendan Howlin TD, has today published legislation that aims to give a better insight into our national well-being by measuring environmental and social factors alongside the annual measurement of GDP. The Genuine Progress Indicators and National Distributional Accounts Bill 2017 would also require an annual report on the impact of the Budget on…

Labour TD for Cork East, Seán Sherlock, has called on Minister Simon Coveney to apologise to an Air Corps pilot over reports the Minister questioned the pilot’s decision not to fly him to Cork due to fog in 2015. Deputy Sherlock commented: “This direct intervention by  Minister Coveney is indicative of a creeping sense of…

Labour spokesperson on Health, Alan Kelly TD, has welcomed the publication of the updated ten-year national cancer strategy. Deputy Kelly said the report highlights the need to retain and recruit highly trained staff into the health service. Deputy Kelly commented: “Sadly there are few families in Ireland that haven’t, or will not be impacted by…

Labour spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has said that the recommended rise in the Living Wage highlights the appalling pay levels of workers in the childcare sector. The Living Wage Technical group has raised the rate by 20 cent to €11.70 per hour, which it says is needed to maintain a…

Responding to the ongoing migration crisis in the Mediterranean, and the preparations by Austria to deploy troops on its border with Italy in the event of a migrant influx, Labour spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Senator Ivana Bacik has called on the Government to meet the commitments Ireland has previously made on resettling refugees, and in…

Labour Party spokesperson on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Alan Kelly TD, has welcomed the announcement by the Living Wage Technical Group that the Living Wage has increased to €11.70 per hour. Deputy Kelly has called on the Government to set out a clear road map as to how we can transform the National Minimum Wage…

Labour Finance Spokesperson, Joan Burton TD, has said today’s Exchequer Returns show the Government is now well poised to increase essential capital spending. Responding to the figures just released by the Department of Finance, Deputy Burton said: “Today’s Exchequer Returns indicate that the Government is in a strong position to commit to essential capital expenditure,…

Rogue security firms with State contracts who are not paying the legal hourly rate of pay to their staff should lose their taxpayer-funded work. That’s according to Labour Senator Ged Nash, who told the Seanad this afternoon that 20,000 security officers are entitled to a pay rise from the 1st of June. The agreement is…