Type: Press

Labour Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Development, Senator Ivana Bacik, has welcomed news of a possible merger between Oxfam Ireland and GOAL. It’s been announced that the two charities have entered formal talks on an agreement which would see them come together as one organisation ‘Oxfam GOAL’, after securing board approval to explore the proposals….

Labour Party Leader and spokesperson on Justice, Brendan Howlin has supported calls by Maurice and Lorraine McCabe for a full public tribunal of inquiry into the damaging and false allegations against him and their family. “I fully support the McCabe family in their calls for a full public inquiry into the damaging and false allegations…

Labour spokesperson on Housing, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has expressed concern at the latest figures from Daft.ie, which show the largest yearly increases in rents across the country since 2002. According to the property website, rents were up by an average of 13.5 per cent to December 2016, compared to the same time the previous year….

Labour Senator Ivana Bacik has today called on the members of Government to confirm that they are acting in accordance with the principle of collective responsibility set down in the Constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann. Senator Bacik said: “Article 28.4.2 of our constitution says: “The Government shall meet and act as a collective authority, and shall…

Government sleep walking on Global Enterprise Agenda since Trump election. Risk posed by delayed Investment Decisions by FDI Community since Trump election very real Global Diplomatic Assault by Ministers vital to forge new market opportunities Cork Labour TD Seán Sherlock has called on the Minister for Jobs, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, to ramp up her Department’s…

Commenting after the Week in Politics, Alan Kelly TD has said that there are still serious questions outstanding following the breakdown in collective cabinet responsibility this week. Minister Frances Fitzgerald was aware of the role of TUSLA in another whistleblower’s case and had received many letters on it and failed to connect this to a…

“The Government are continuing to treat Councillors unfairly and forcing them to work for way less than the minimum wage. “This would not be acceptable or tolerated in relation to any other sector of the workforce, but the Government are banking on public apathy and cynicism around the body politic so as they can get…

Labour spokesperson on Children, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has expressed serious concerns about the revelations regarding the McCabe family and TUSLA, and the actions of Minister Katherine Zappone and Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “We must have the upmost confidence in our child protection services and Tusla needs to explain how this happened. It is…

Check against delivery Thank you Ceann Comhairle. I have sent to the Tánaiste a proposed amendment to the published terms of reference. I hope that it will be accepted, as I believe it covers concerns that both I and Deputy O’Callaghan have raised. Specifically, I do not believe it is sufficient to establish whether allegations…

Brendan Howlin, T.D., Leader of the Labour Party has commented on the announcement this afternoon of the establishment of a Commission of Investigation under the chairmanship of Mr. Justice Peter Charleton. “The Garda Commissioner heads a policing service charged with protecting the security of the State, preventing crime and vindicating the human rights of each…

In a topical issue debate last night, Labour spokesperson on social protection Willie Penrose called for the local independent structures of the 51 Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) companies to be maintained. There are plans underway to merge voluntary local Boards for the Money and Advice Budgeting Service, and Citizens Information service into regional…

Labour spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Jan O’Sullivan has said there are serious problems that need to ironed out before Minister Zappone introduces the Affordable Childcare scheme. “Responses by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and POBAL to my questions during pre-legislative scrutiny on the new Affordable Childcare scheme raise serious concerns that…

Labour’s Jobs Spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has called on the Government to examine whether it can tap into the European Globalisation Fund for workers at Hewlett Packard. Up to 500 jobs look set to go at the company, which is to close its printing plant in Leixlip in Kildare over the next year. Commenting on…

Labour spokesperson on health Alan Kelly TD has said that an independent review of waiting list figures, how they are compiled, and the accuracy of the data still needs to be carried out. An internal audit by the NTPF is not sufficient. Deputy Kelly said: “The Minister needs to commission an independent review of how…

Today at Leader’s Questions, Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach where the extra €350 million for the Children’s Hospital would come from. The Taoiseach was unable to say where this extra money would come from and referred to the €1 billion sum as speculation. It will have a serious impact on our ability…

Labour spokesperson on Health Alan Kelly TD has called for an independent probe into the compilation and publication of waiting lists by the National Treatment Purchase Fund. It follows last night’s RTÉ Investigates programme, which claimed thousands of extra patients are waiting on unpublished lists. Deputy Kelly commented: “I am concerned that the public has…

Labour Party spokesperson on Education, Joan Burton has today called on the Minister for Education and Skills to publish an updated Action Plan on Bullying. “Not six months has passed since Minister Bruton published his last Action Plan for Education, and in today’s updated version, the Minister makes scant reference to tackling bullying. “A year…

Labour’s Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, says clarity is needed on the total number of people currently waiting for operations or medical procedures in Irish hospitals. It comes as RTÉ reports that at least two lists have not been published by the National Treatment Purchase Fund, meaning the overall figure may be double the amount….

Labour spokesperson on Finance, and member of the Oireachtas Budgetary Oversight Committee, Joan Burton TD has requested a special meeting to examine the estimated costs of the proposed children’s hospital. “This morning I wrote to the Budgetary Oversight Committee Chair, John Paul Phelan to request a special meeting to discuss the extraordinary costs now projected…

Dublin City Councillor Alison Gilliland has said: ‘It is imperative that Dublin City Council management return immediately to the tripartite Ambulance Forum and seek an agreed solution to the management and organisation of Dublin Fire Brigade Emergency Medical Services call-taking and dispatch.’ ‘Almost 2 years ago DCC CEO Owen Keegan in conjunction with the 3…

It’s now one year on from the shooting in the Regency Hotel, with reports today that the Government plans to use public pay deals to deliver fresh cuts across Departments. Labour spokesperson for Dublin Senator Kevin Humphreys says the Government must ensure Gardaí in Dublin are adequately resourced to deal with crime and that frontline…

Labour spokesperson on health Alan Kelly TD had called on the Minister Simon Harris to urgently explain today how the costs for the children’s hospital have spiralled out of control by over 50% when inflation has been practically zero. Deputy Kelly said: “Minister Harris needs to explain how in the space of 2 years the…

Speaking at the Labour Party’s Spring Economic Seminar in the Mansion House, spokesperson on Finance, Joan Burton TD has said that there is a need for a special status for Ireland in Brexit negotiations, with a separate component or strand within the talks that deals only with the Ireland-UK matters. In her speech, Deputy Burton…

Greyhound racing enthusiasts will be met with a picket at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Track on Saturday 4th of February, the protest is being organised by the Dublin Greyhound Breeders and Owners Association and has strong support from greyhound supporters across the country against the proposal to sell off Harold’s Cross Greyhound Track and the lack…