Type: Press

Labour spokesperson for Transport, Duncan Smith has today (Tuesday 8th November) described the fines imposed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) on Go Ahead and Dublin as eye-watering and said the fines underscore systemic failures across the public transport system. In response to questioning from Deputy Smith at the Oireachtas Transport Committee the NTA confirmed…

Prospect of economic crunch demands robust planning by Government Labour spokesperson on workers rights Marie Sherlock said protecting work and livelihoods must be at the core of government strategy this winter. With recent announcements by major employers, coupled with today’s significant downward assessment by Ibec on the Irish economy next year, many people will be…

With fresh elections expected in the North, Labour Party Leader and spokesperson on Northern Ireland Ivana Bacik TD has called on the Irish government to advocate for assembly reform to break the veto on the restoration of a power-sharing executive. Deputy Bacik said: “On Thursday at Leader’s Questions I raised with the Tánaiste what the…

Labour housing spokesperson Rebecca Moynihan said local authorities must be empowered by government to protect anyone else from falling into homelessness this winter. With homelessness up 29.5%, Senator Moynihan said it’s time for government to take radical action to deal with the housing disaster. Senator Moynihan said: “It’s a national disgrace that almost 11,000 people…

Labour TD for Tipperary, Alan Kelly has extended his sympathy to the family and friends of cervical check campaigner Lynsey Bennett who sadly died last night. Deputy Kelly said: “I am so sad today to hear of Lynsey’s passing at such a young age, and my thoughts are with her daughters Zoe and Hailee, her…

Not too late to introduce project to offset costs says Maher & Horgan    Labour Cllr John Maher and local area rep Peter Horgan have reiterated the potential Impact that a €9 public transport ticket could have for Cork commuters by reducing costs and encouraging more social interaction, A new study by the Institute for…

Surcharge levy should be placed on all data centres Pressing need to re-evaluate State “open door” policy for data centres Labour Finance Spokesperson Ged Nash has today (Monday 17th October) called on the government to ban data centres from the new energy relief scheme announced as part of Budget 2023 and to put in place…

Labour health spokesperson Duncan Smith said today (12th October) demanded that the government must put in place an immediate timeline and guarantee a process for engagement with workers in the community and voluntary sector. The call comes following the government waving through Labour motion calling for pay rises for community and voluntary sector workers Deputy…

Leader of the Labour Party and Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee Ivana Bacik TD has welcomed the affirmation by An Taoiseach of the Government’s commitment to hold a referendum on recommendations 1-3 of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality to delete sexist language from the Constitution, recognise a more inclusive definition of family and…

Taoiseach unable to answer questions regarding licensees Raising the operation of the renters tax credit with An Taoiseach today, Labour Leader Ivana Bacik called for clarity as to who qualifies for the benefit. Deputy Bacik said people who have renting on the basis of a licence rather than a standard tenancy are none the wiser…

• Dáil will debate Labour motion demanding pay rise for Section 39 care workers on Wednesday Labour health spokesperson Duncan Smith said rather than a grant bridging the gap for people, as proposed by the Tánaiste last week in response to questioning by Labour leader Ivana Bacik, Section 39 workers must be put on the…

Labour health spokesperson Duncan Smith has today (Monday, 10th October) on World Mental Health Day urged the government to take a lead in ending the stigma surrounding mental health by introducing a Mental Health funding grant of €20 per pupil in schools, and to adequately resource Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) once and…

Labour Party Leader Ivana Bacik TD has today (Monday, 10th October) paid tribute to Billy Kyne and extended her sympathies to his family, friends, Waterford Labour comrades, and former colleagues on Waterford County Council and Dungarvan Town Council. Deputy Bacik said: “Billy was a dedicated public representative who gave all his working life to our…

The delivery of 578 public homes in St. Michael’s Estate will be transformative for people in Dublin 8, said Labour Councillor Darragh Moriarty. Welcoming the formal lodging of planning for the regeneration of St. Michael’s Estate, Cllr Moriarty said projects like St. Michael’s will be vital in giving people an opportunity to live in their…

Labour spokesperson for Workers Rights, Senator Marie Sherlock has today (Wednesday 5th October) warmly welcomed the work of the High-Level Group on Collective Bargaining and Industrial Relations and said the ball is now firmly in the Government’s court to implement the very clear, incisive and landmark recommendations. Senator Sherlock said: “Labour wants to see the…

Labour housing spokesperson Rebecca Moynihan said building homes cannot be a casualty of rising interest rates. With Housing for All failing to hit any of its markers, Senator Moynihan said government must take serious measures to build homes this year. Senator Moynihan said: “Government must insulate social housing providers from interest rate hikes. With the…

Labour defence spokesperson Mark Wall has demanded a debate on the future of the Defence Forces in the Seanad. Speaking following the Budget, Senator Wall said there is a crisis in the Forces at present, with Force numbers heading below 8,000 for the first time in many years. Senator Wall said: “The single biggest threat…

Labour spokesperson on Further and Higher Education Annie Hoey said the paltry increase of €500 in stipends for PhD staff will leave workers below the breadline. Senator Hoey said until a Living Wage is provided to all PhD staff we will continue to see an exodus of researchers from this country. Senator Hoey said: “The…

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said today that the Budget produced by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil is little more than a Treadmill Budget – just running to stand still. Deputy Bacik said: “Yesterday’s Budget presented the Government with an opportunity to provide a lifeline to the tens of thousands of people for whom Ireland now…

Admission they don’t look at profitability of sectors with most minimum wage workers Labour’s Worker’s rights spokesperson Marie Sherlock has today (Wednesday, 28th September) expressed grave concerns over the Low Pay Commission’s admission about how they assess the appropriate national minimum wage. Speaking following a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise Trade and…

Labour health spokesperson Duncan Smith has today (Wednesday, 28th September) called on the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly to urgently intervene over the non-payment of the pandemic recognition payment due to tens of thousands of health workers. Deputy Smith said: “36 weeks after it was announced to much fanfare by the Government, the fact that…

As a country, we are unrecognisable from the young, poor and conservative State we were when the tricolour was first raised over Dublin Castle in 1922. We are now richer than we have ever been in our history. More liberal, open, diverse, welcoming and confident as a society than anyone could have imagined even half…

€20 increase must be provided Labour social protection spokesperson Seán Sherlock has demanded that government meet the rate of inflation and provide a €20 increase to social welfare payments. Speaking in advance of Budget 2023, Deputy Sherlock said double payments must made in October and December to give people a chance this winter. Deputy Sherlock…

Labour Alternative Budget aims to make work pay End low pay and introduce immediate minimum wage increase  Embed flexibility from the start in employment contracts  Labour employment spokesperson Marie Sherlock said there is a crisis in the world of work for thousands of women throughout the country. Through a lack of action on affordable childcare,…